here it goes... The other day at clinicals (I'm a student:) ) I witnessed a herione addict fake a seizure. Well, the nurses who responded to this incident were amazing. At first they thought she was Really having one but after 15 mins of "jerking and foaming at the mouth", they quickly called her bluff. Anyway, one thing that really gave me the "heebie jeebies" was that out of the 4 nurses that assisted, only ONE RN wore gloves!!
Now this pt has hep-b and c (which they all new about) but even the iv nurse wasn't wearing gloves! The pt had soo many needle sticks (from iv nurse cuz she couldnt find a vein) and at one point she Bled all over the nurse who was trying to hold the pt down. In school, it is drilled in our heads, glove, glove, glove for anything that involves bodily fluids so I was really shocked that they would put themselves at risk... So, later on I asked one of the RNs (very politely) why she chose not to wear gloves and she replied that she works better without them:eek: !!!! So, I was just curious.. Do you, as healthcare workers, wear gloves All the time.... be honest, now;) If you dont, what procedures do you do w/o gloves?
The nurses put themselves at risk and must have broken hospital protocal. I'm very careful/faithful wearing gloves -- and try to always practice universal precautions. I wear them anytime I believe I will come in contact with body fluids. I do not wear them for assessing patients as a rule -- UNLESS the patient is "leaking" from somewhere. There are many things we have no power over in our clinical practice ... and many things we do have control over. :)
I think you will find a lot of ER nurses won't wear gloves for starting IV's. They do about 1 an hour and are quite excellent at it. When I put an IV in I don't lose a single drop of blood. I certainly don't agree, they should definately be wearing gloves but I can understand their bad habits. I sometimes just tear off my index finger of the glove to start an IV so i can palpate a difficult vein.
Specializes in Interventional Pain Mgmt NP; Prior ICU and L/D RN.
I wear them for everything except the "human contact" that a pt deserves at times. I agree with smilingblueeyes...if it's wet and isn't yours, don't touch it!
To hold a hand, touch an arm out of compassion, etc.. means more to a pt without a glove though.
I remember an AIDS pt (yes aids), that was shocked that I touched her arm without gloves. The pt was not bloody, no weeping fluid, nothing. Dry, smooth skin. Why wouldn't I touch them? The pt was very happy that I did this. They said it showed I wasn't scared of them.
Wear gloves when you are supposed to, or even think you may be exposed!
Whenever it is a possibility to come into contact with body fluids wear gloves. I do...this is my agency requirement AND IS REQUIRED BY OSHA AS WELL....those RNs were foolish.....if they were working for our agency and my boss saw thhat.....goodbye charlie!!!!!!! Awful when they KNEW she was a heroin addict HEP B, C heavens knows what else....scary.
The first thing that bothered me about this thread is that you said
"The pt had soo many needle sticks (from iv nurse cuz she couldnt find a vein) and at one point she Bled all over the nurse who was trying to hold the pt down."
Your not suppose to hold down a pt or anyone that is having a seizure..
Now to your question. I always wear gloves not just for my health but for my kids health and my other pts health. One time my son was in the ER and the nurse came in for blood work and put her gloves on and she was checking for his vein and then ripped her index finger part of the glove off. I was like WHAT..my husband looked at me and I said very nice "Mam, I know I don't know you but this is my son and if you prick his finger and then happen to hit your finger with the needle and your blood touches my son. Well we have some problems." She kindly said well I can't find it any other way because i can't feel the vain with the glove. I said ok well then I'll do it and she was like no no and then i called another nurse in and I told her the situation and I ended up doing it. Choice I guess.
Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.
I do wear them most of the time. I don't wear gloves if I 'know' that there is no body fluids. There has been a few times where I thought that there was going to be no bodily fluids, like when I make beds, and a few times I have grabed a brown gift.
But if I know that I will come into contact with body fluids, I will wear gloves.
The only task that I never wear gloves while doing is fixing a patients hair. I only did that once, and I am not going to say what I was called after that! lol
It is always my intent to use gloves at all times. But I have surprised myself when I have forgotten to put them on. So far this has only happened a couple of times. Then I think to myself "stupid, stupid stupid".
I wear gloves any where near nathing that isn't mine! as a general rule, with washes, toileting and dressings etc.
I learnt real quick to keep a pair of gloves in my pocket and was amazed by how quick I can now get them on.
I have however been in contact, with a few bodily substances that I wouldn't want to experience, found a pt on the floor shouted for help, we got her back in bed, but she was drenched in urine....
Plus with a CA pt, coughed up not sure of the technical term, but it looked like a bit of lung, onto my VERY quickly gloved hand! Didn't even manage to get the fingers on.
howie122832
131 Posts
BINGO!! I totally agree!