The fingernail police!!

Nurses General Nursing

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I knew it was coming,but...the hospitals around here are "outlawing" fake nails and/or overlays. I can see their issue with bacteria, etc..under the nails..

but it bothers me that they are dictating what I can or cant have on my own body. For instance, if nails are dirty - what about jewelry, earrings, etc.,where do you draw the line? Does it not make sense that anyone who goes to the trouble of having nice nails would also take the time to wash under those nails. Im not talking about 6" long tiger nails - but any length, nomatter how short,isnt allowed. I am a nail biter - if I dont have overlays, I will be biting my nails all day - how sanitary is that? I was just wondering if this was a local thing or country wide.

Me Either CNM2B and if they have acrylic nails I don't want them anywhere near my food either. Honestly I don't even think they look pretty. They're so thick and un-natural looking..........had em once when I was about 16. Now I justlet my nails go natural, heck I don't even wear polish, too much trouble, but my nails look really nice........

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I have fought to keep my acrylics in my job in the past- which had little to no patient contact ...

but have to admit the arguements seem sound. I work per diem now in long term care - unfortunately I do a lot more paper work than patient care... but at the very least I will be exceptionally careful - I always wear gloves...

they arent long. They are overlays because, yeah, I bite too.... but its good food for thought....

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I have fought to keep my acrylics in my job in the past- which had little to no patient contact ...

but have to admit the arguements seem sound. I work per diem now in long term care - unfortunately I do a lot more paper work than patient care... but at the very least I will be exceptionally careful - I always wear gloves...

they arent long. They are overlays because, yeah, I bite too.... but its good food for thought....[/quote

Sorry, but the gloves are not going to protect your patient if you are already culturing staph, pseudomonas, or worse, in the acrylic itself.

If someone tried to take care of one of my family members with any type of covering over their nails??? No way.....................

There are alot more studies backing me up then what you are doing.....actually no study is going to back you up.

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I have fought to keep my acrylics in my job in the past- which had little to no patient contact ...

but have to admit the arguements seem sound. I work per diem now in long term care - unfortunately I do a lot more paper work than patient care... but at the very least I will be exceptionally careful - I always wear gloves...

they arent long. They are overlays because, yeah, I bite too.... but its good food for thought....[/quote

Sorry, but the gloves arenot going to protect your patient if you are already culturing staph, pseudomonas, or worse, in the acrylic itself.

If someone tried to take care of one of my family members with any type of covering over their nails??? No way.....................

There are alot more studies backing me up then what you are doing.....actually no study is going to back you up.

worse than biting?? I will try (again) to conquor that demon...thanks for your input.

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worse than biting?? I will try (again) to conquor that demon...thanks for your input.

I actually bit my nails until I was 16. And really bit them all of the way down.

I actually liked the taste of that bitter stuff that they made so you wouldn't do it. Found that as long as I kept a hard candy in my mouth, then the nails stayed away................Worked for me.................Good luck. :)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
fingernails, fingernails, the long debated issue. fake nails are a problem, there are no two ways about it. i used to have a different opinion, though. i was angry with all who told me i couldn't wear fake nails. i felt my rights were violated and i was gonna do what i wanted regardless!!!!!!

well, i used to worked in a strictly open heart unit. we had a run of patients developing sternal infections. no one could figure out why. infection control got involved and swabbed everyone's nails; nurse aides, respiratory therapists, nurses, anyone with direct patient contact. those who had fake nails came back positive for psuedomonas (sp?). :uhoh21: yikes!!!!!! apparently, no matter how often you wash your hands, water still remains under the nail and psuedomonas develops due to the nice, warm, mosit environment, that bacteria loves so much!

thank god, at the time, that i had already taken my nails off! i would have felt like a big jerk!!!!!! all i could think about was my attitude prior to all of this. i had felt my rights were violated. well, what about the rights of the patient? what about our promise to do no harm? all i can say is, i am a changed woman! no fake nails for me!

just a quick question--- (not quite germane to the fake nail debate)-----did that swabbing include physicians???? they are among the biggest offenders lacking in the handwashing dept. just curious...

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I don't like the fake nails, but that is just me. My experience with them weren't so good. When I was a CNA, I was making a bed and while mittering a corner, I hit my nail on the bed frame and the nail became inflamed. I would get holes in my gloves because of the length and accidentally scratched a few patients. After about two weeks I had them removed for patient safety and for the fact that they were too difficult to work in. The designs that I see on some of them are really nice, but if studies show that there is a higher risk of passing on infectious diseases with them, than for the sake of the patient, I say they shouldn't be worn. I think that people should realize the reasons why they are not allowed and also realize (which I am sure all of the nurses do) that the people who come into the hospital or clinic are already there because they are sick so why do something/wear something that can add to this further. I say don't pour more gas on the fire that is already burning. I understand that sometimes you need to do something for yourself to relax or whatever, but how far are you willing to go, and where does your concerns lie if not with that of the patient.

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

So, when will we be required to include "remove your acrylics" in our discharge teaching? And when will we have signs posted everywhere reprimanding the public with whom we deal that they are endangering their loved ones and us by continuing to wear them? And when will the nail salons be legally closed because of the potential epidemic acrylic nails pose? And who exactly is protecting US from all those thoughtless women out there who have the audacity to come into our hospitals wearing acrylic nails? Yes, I am feeling a little bit cynical over this. I have made the decision to have mine removed today; but I will be making a big deal, a really big deal, over every hang nail, split nail or any other kind of nail problem I have henceforth.

I started wearing acrylics to prevent nail problems, very successfully I might add. At our place, the gals who've already removed theirs complain constantly about split and cracked nails, even cuticle infections, and of "playing" with their nails more than they ever did before. You know, twirling their hair, fingers at their faces, etc. Just trying to figure out how this is a better tradeoff. Studies notwithstanding, and I have read them, I think there are always two sides to every story.

Oh, and BTW, you can't always pick 'em out in the crowd. I've always kept mine short; personal preference and the need to function in my own world. Others can function fine with longer ones, but I'm not one of those. Also, hand and finger shape and size make a difference. But they don't have to be long, thick, or pointed or square, which in most cases is a dead giveaway.

And my acrylics are not even close to being as sharp on the tips as real nails would be. Not long ago, I had mine done in a group of ladies having a girls' day out, and at lunch someone mentioned my change of mind about having my acrylics "done". She didn't recognize them as being acrylics and this from a gal who has acrylics done all the time. So there's always a stereotype, isn't there?

So as of today and for now, I'm going to comply. Time will tell whether this is will be successful for me. Flame away. I can take it. I'm an old broad with 28 years in the trenches and have seen more changes than I can count, some of which have changed back and some of which needed to be changed.

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tntrn, I think there is a big difference between healthcare workers and the general public. If the general public is hanging out with vulnerable patients in the germy hospital, then by all means I will let inform them about the dangers with acrylics. When in the NICU moms had to get rid of the acryllics before handling their sick babies (they also didn't wear watches, etc).

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Specializes in Nurse Practitioner-Emergency Room.

If you choose vanity over patient care, then you are in the wrong profession. Truth be known, I am a man. I have a beautiful girlfriend, and I have never once really looked at her nails or any other womans. Keeping them clean is one thing, necessary in everyday life as well as nursing, but to make a big life decision like leaving a job over some tacky fake nails is ridiculous. Spiff up everything else, and just keep your nails short and clean. It's not big deal. you'll learn to live without them. Truthfully, nobody really cares how pretty your nails are but yourself. :p

Well, I choose my overlays. The day my home health agency tells me we can't have them, it will be the last clinical shift I work. I am FT now with an insurance company, and per diem HH.

We must wear what the hospital tells us (true for insur company too)

We can't wear scented hairspray, or perfume

These I can see. They are temporary, we can redo our hair after work and put on perfume and wash it off before work.

But, I am only employed 40 hours a week, the rest of the hours I am not, so, I see no reason why, if the nails are maintained, and inspected for lifting, etc..., that they should be banned. I frankly don't care what the studies say. If my nails must go, then so must I!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

(Why are ppl mentioning their years in this profession, like it's going to make a difference in the proven fact of what's dirtier?)

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.

Kyboyrn:

Although you may never notice ladies' nails and the shape they are or are not in, others do. My DH will be very sorry to see my nails in their natural state, and not just because they are prettier with acrylics. Keeping them pretty should never be done for someone else. What I mean is, you should do nice things for yourself because YOU are pleased by it. One's entire attitude is then favorably affected. On the flip side, if you do something because someone else says you should or must, then I believe resentment can build.

As far as mentioning years of experience, and since I did it, I will just say that lots of posters mention their years of experience. I'm sure than when relative newbies comment about "my 5 years of experience" there are those like me who can remember when the idea they are just now espousing was being done, was then pooh-poohed and now is being done again. One's longevity doesn't make an expert, but neither does ones fresh-out-of-school status.

Has nothing to do with how clean or unclean ones' nails are. You are right about that.

althou

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