I was shadowing a nurse yesterday at a facility who happened to be a veteran nurse ( 60 years or older). Well, a pt. fell and was bleeding from her had. I witnessed the fall, so I called for help and made sure the pt. stayed put until helped arrived. The nurse I was shadowing came and started to apply pressure to the pts. head without gloves, the pts. blood was all over the nurses' hand. I felt bad that I didn't do that... but ultimately my health comes first and I'm not touching blood without gloves.
As we were doing wound care she still didn't wear gloves. She said back in her day she has touched so many things with her bear hands that sometimes she doesn't wear them.
I understand that is how she is used to practicing.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I don't see anyone arguing that patients don't have rights. Obviously if the patient is uncomfortable with the nurse not wearing a glove then that should be respected.
The disagreement seems to be that the gloves are protecting the nurse during a stick and not the patient because people keep saying it protects both, I would just like to know how during a blood or IV draw gloves will protect the patient. I figured since you were so outraged that a nurse would tear off a finger of the glove that you would rather die then get that IV that there would be some sort of logical reason to back that up. Especially Since you are an RN and should have been taught how infections and diseases happen.
Sure family that might not really know the science behind it might be fearful and feel gloves offer protection to the patient during a stick. But medical personal have the education about the science of it all.
How does the patient know that the person sticking them with a needle does not have hep, hiv, or anything else that could be passed on as soon as the needle enters the skin the protective barrier is broken, now if a latex condem has holes in it the diease can enter so it also makes sense if someone rips the fingertip off of their glove then the person is put at risk for anything the nurse may have on her hands but even worse the things that is running thur the nurses body. if it is not also for pt protection then why do we dress out with mask, gowns and gloves when a pt is on reverse isolation? To protect them from something that may be on our body clothes and in our lungs.
I was shadowing a nurse yesterday at a facility who happened to be a veteran nurse ( 60 years or older). Well, a pt. fell and was bleeding from her had. I witnessed the fall, so I called for help and made sure the pt. stayed put until helped arrived. The nurse I was shadowing came and started to apply pressure to the pts. head without gloves, the pts. blood was all over the nurses' hand. I felt bad that I didn't do that... but ultimately my health comes first and I'm not touching blood without gloves.
As we were doing wound care she still didn't wear gloves. She said back in her day she has touched so many things with her bear hands that sometimes she doesn't wear them.
I understand that is how she is used to practicing.
I can understand where this nurse is coming from, BUT, way back then we were not aware of the bugs out there. PLUS, the medical field has changed so much and so have the bugs.
Sounds like that nurse is on a "death wish" trail.
Specializes in Telemetry, ICU/CCU, Specials, CM/DM.
I will ask again, if you are doing your sticks properly by cleansing after palpating and waiting for it to dry. Please explain how common sense says a non sterile glove or even a sterile glove will protect the patient? What are they getting protected from? A sterile needles coming in contact with their cleansed skin? I wear gloves every time I am poking someone, but it's for my protection, commen sense tells me it's for my protection and common sense tells me that cleaning the patients skin and using a sterile needle will protect my patient.
MRSA, VRE, C.diff. Many, many healthcare workers DO NOT wash their hands in between patients unfortunately. Many things can be prevented with wearing gloves to spread transmission. I still believe gloves protect the patient and healthcare worker. This may not be as necessary if everyone washed their hands after each patient.
I am a new nurse but have worked as a phlebotomist for the last 10 years and I always have several pairs of gloves in my pocket which I usually use for my blood draws but this is a practice I will continue well into my nursing career.
I would rather the healthcare worker use his/her bare hands than a pair of gloves pulled from a uniform pocket.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Your skin, particularly around your fingernails, is probably much less "intact" on a microscopic level than you think. All it takes is a microscopic abrasion! The first nurse to contract HIV got it from tiny abrasions from gardening activity at home.
The first nurse to contract aids was during a resuscitation effort from other then a needle puncture. She contracted AIDS in 1986 and passed away in 1994.
Barbara Fassbinder, RN: The First Healthcare Worker to Contract HIV
Thanks for the info - I stand corrected. I read or heard someone teach the account I mentioned, but maybe she was just one of the first and not the very first.
Umm, actually the article you cited agrees with my first post. She did not contract HIV through a needle stick, but instead thru small gardening wounds.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thanks for the info - I stand corrected. I read or heard someone teach the account I mentioned, but maybe she was just one of the first and not the very first.
You were right.....she is the first other then needle puncture......I just posted the article.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Umm, actually the article you cited agrees with my first post. She did not contract HIV through a needle stick, but instead thru small gardening wounds.
~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN
5,259 Posts
I don't see anyone arguing that patients don't have rights. Obviously if the patient is uncomfortable with the nurse not wearing a glove then that should be respected.
The disagreement seems to be that the gloves are protecting the nurse during a stick and not the patient because people keep saying it protects both, I would just like to know how during a blood or IV draw gloves will protect the patient. I figured since you were so outraged that a nurse would tear off a finger of the glove that you would rather die then get that IV that there would be some sort of logical reason to back that up. Especially Since you are an RN and should have been taught how infections and diseases happen.
Sure family that might not really know the science behind it might be fearful and feel gloves offer protection to the patient during a stick. But medical personal have the education about the science of it all.