Staff and artificial nails

Specialties Geriatric

Published

More than half of my staff are wearing artificial nails with outlandish nail polish. This is not allowed per policy but the staff has gotten away with it for years. Not only is this against policy, but the risk of infection increases, not to mention the lack of professionalism. Any suggestions on how to enforce this?

Specializes in Developmental Disabilites,.

Nasty! My hospital just did a crack down. Infection control put all these graphic posters around the hospital showing infections caused by artifical nails. The concern is not skin tears it is infection to both the patient and the nurse.

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I agree with the 72 hour notice regarding enforcement. Besides posting the notice, I would send a letter to all employees so no one can say they were not informed. Same goes for any other policy that you want to start enforcing.

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I tried artificial nails one time. It didn't take long for one to break. I had them removed and regret their condition afterwards. Sometimes we have to learn things the hard way.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I'm still in nursing school and I am wondering if nail polish produces the same problems? Or is it just fake nails..? I keep my nails trimmed down and cleaned but I do like to have polish..

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I too am in nursing school and we were told we would have "nurse nails". No nail polish or artifical nails are allowed.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

Have you heard about "Shellac" for nails by CND?

Works pretty darn good, and it's not "artificial nails".

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If it's not allowed by policy, tell the staff they comply or get written up.

If they don't comply, write them up.

If they still don't comply, follow your policy regarding number of write ups prior to termination, then terminate them.

That is, if you have the power to do so.

Are you the manager or the DON?

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Specializes in LTC.
Just a bit of devil's advocacy...I do not wear artificial nails now (I work directly with patients). However, I did wear them when I had an administrative position. Regarding the possibility of skin tears: my nails were much less "sharp" when coated with acrylic than they are now without. My nails are much sharper, and thus more likely to scratch someone, in their natural state, than they were with acrylic coating. I think the infection rate is somewhat over-hyped, but that being said, anyone wearing acrylic topping needs to keep them professionally cared for on a very regular basis. I also agree with the issue of patient perception and overall professionalism.

Can't agree with you more. Acrylic nails when kept short.. are rounded and a bit thicker than a credit card. Natural nails.. when long.. are sharp and thinner. More likely to scratch a resident. I totally agree there.

It really is over-hyped. Natural nails can have dirt and germs on and under them just as much as artificial.

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I also agree that natural nails are sharper than artificial nails, and can definitely cause more harm to the patient than someone who is wearing artificial nails. Also, any fingernail, be it natural or artificial, that has a free edge will harbor bacteria.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Perinatal, Endoscopy, IVF Lab.
Nasty! My hospital just did a crack down. Infection control put all these graphic posters around the hospital showing infections caused by artifical nails. The concern is not skin tears it is infection to both the patient and the nurse.

I don't have any ideas to enforce it, but I just wanted to put in my $.02 about the issue. Wearing artificial nails as a nurse is NASTY. I wouldn't worry about skin tears because they aren't that sharp (much less then regular nails OR all of these gaudy rings nurses will wear too), but the infection risk is soooooo bad! Both for the nurse AND patient.... and really, do you really want to make yourself MORE vulnerable to infection in the hospital? Yucko. The polish issue.... not professional, but not as much of a risk. I'm a germaphobe so it just grosses me out.:eek:

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No one working in direct patient care should be wearing artificial nails.

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No one working in direct patient care should be wearing artificial nails.

You got that right!

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