Watches

I saw some pictures earlier with Nurses wearing wrist watches, however many hospitals over here are banning them, so fob watches are the norm. I just wondered if any one had an opinion on this?

[RNKitty]

It is really hard to wash blood, amniotic fluid, vomit, stool, urine, etc out of ever nook and cranny of a watch.

[Whisper]

That's what I thought, but I think I would also be worried about tearing a patients skin.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

I usually wear a wrist watch that is waterproof and has a stretch band. However, I do also have a lapel watch I bought in London. It's hard to read though unless I pin it really low down and then it looks tawdry.

The jeweler was insistant that I couldn't buy it unless I was a nurse!! I guess the Southern American Accent confused him or something. I do remember it was like 15 pounds and I thought that was a pretty good price.

[Jenny P]

I can't stand to wear a wrist watch; my skin itches and breaks out (probably from moisture?) when I do. A fob watch is impossible for me to read even with the trifocals- too close even if it is down far enough to be tawdry:D . So I use an old-fashioned pocket watch on a chain- which works well most of the time but can get tangled up with the pens, calipers, scissors, alcohol wipes, and other stuff in my pocket.

[Katnip, RN]

Has anyone tried a stethascope watch?

[Jen911]

I'm one of those folks who break out under a regular wrist watch, so that's out of the question for me. I have one of those little keychain watches attached to the back of my name badge which is on a pulley type thingie (you know what I mean??) It works quite well, and I've had it like that for about a year without complaint, and it's always handy. :)

[fiestynurse]

We have clocks in every patient room and in the hallways, nurses stations, breakrooms, etc. So, we don't really feel the need to wear watches.

[kaycee]

Sorry guys, I'm lost without my watch. I work ER and we don't have clocks in the rooms except the trauma rooms and they are digital with no second hands. I haven't heard anything about banning watches or that they are an infection control issue.

I have to chart times on everything I do in the ER and I don't want anything else in my pockets or pinned to me or around my neck. I'll stick to my wrist watch. As far as tearing pt's skin I think some of the jewelry I see some nurses wear have much more potential for doing that then my little wrist watch.

[Joshua21]

I couldn't agree with you more Kaycee. You need reference to time so often in ER ie) IV push meds, vitals, record events. I tried pinning my watch to my uniform and it did not work well at all. However I do choose a watch that is very smooth, rounded and zero sharp edges, they're out there just have to keep looking. As for the cleansliness, Alcohol swabs and the odd bath in a bleach or germicide solution for my watch.

[TracyB,RN, RN]

OK, not to sound stupid, but what is an "fob"watch??

I feel nekkid without a watch. I wear my trusty plastic waterproof Swatch. Never had any problems scratching anyone & wipe it down throughout the day with antimicrobial wipes.

( I work in a hospital with NO clocks in any patient rooms. How strange is that?!?!?)

[Whisper]

A fob watch is, a watch that pins onto the front of your tunic, and hangs with the face upside down, so that when you glance at it, it looks the right way up.:)

Here is a pic of my watch, because I am not very good at explaining what it looks like.