Why do nurses clean off their shoes at work?

[BSNbeauty]

I work with a nurse that wipes off her shoes with cavi wipes at the beginning and end of shift. Ive seen other nurses do this as well at other facilities I have worked at. I just do not understand it. You are cleaning your shoes only to walk on the same dirty floor again? Then you clean your shoes after work to walk on the street with the same shoes you just cleaned??? If you are that paranoid about germs then how about wearing shoe covers at work or changing your shoes before getting in your car. Idk. This whole concept just seems ludacris to me.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Ludicrous = ridiculous

Ludacris = rapper/ musician

You're welcome

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

I wipe my shoes, too. It's so I don't bring home MRSA, VRE, klebsiella, other hospital germs or bodily fluids into my car and into my home. That's one of the reasons why I love Danskos and Alegria shoes because they are very easy to clean.

[Adele_Michal7, ASN, RN]

Ludicrous = ridiculous

Ludacris = rapper/ musician

You're welcome

Best post ever.....

[OCNRN63, RN]

KittyRN, It is obvious that none of the PP read my post. My original question was: what is the point of cleaning your shoes WHILE at work (when not visibly soiled) only to walk on the SAME dirty floor again? I remove my shoes before coming home but why in the heck would I wipe them down at work then walk around in the same shoes??

I did both. I wanted my shoes to look clean at the start of the shift, and de-bug them at the end? Who cares, really? Why don't you just ask them if you're curious? My shoes went in the garage when I got home. I just wanted them to look extra-clean.

And that's all I've got to say about that.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Ludicrous = ridiculous

Ludacris = rapper/ musician

You're welcome

You're my new BFF!

[Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN]

I can understand being concerned about bringing the critters home. Mrsa and his buddies are insidious little pests and can find their way onto almost anything you come into contact with. I think most folks would be surprised if not shocked at the contamination we all (even the most conscientious OCD nurses) carry around on ourselves. In the final analysis I think the majority of cleaning makes us feel better about ourselves, but I really question how much overall good it does. Yes, as nurses we are exposed to more bad critters the the general public, but whether or not you get infected has to do more with a person's overall health and state of his/ her immune system than the mere presence of the offending organism. If that weren't true, we would all be constantly sick. I think it would be a great thesis topic to study for a PhD candidate and answer some of these issues in a scientific manner. Meanwhile, most of us will continue cleaning our shoes......

[RedDiamond]

When I was in school during peds rotation I saw the nurses wipe their shoes before work....I figured it was to start the shift off with clean shoes.

[LisalaRN99, BSN, RN]

I think if we all did things right, we'd all take our shoes off at the doors of our homes and put on "carpet slippers". That way nobody would track anything into the house, not just healthcare workers!

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

I once had a patient pee on the floor beside the bed and I didn't see it until I was standing in it.

This has happened to me more times than I care to admit. Usually when I wear my funky sneaks.

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

Ludicrous = ridiculous

Ludacris = rapper/ musician

Take it to the next level with ABSO-LUDACRIS!

[Fire Bird]

I work in an ER.. i usually clean my shoes to get blood guts and vomit off them...

[Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN]

I don't bother unless my shoes are visibly soiled. Seriously, I have worked outpatient infectious diseases and I know what's out there. When the big Zombie virus hits, we're all toast.

Better get yourself a crossbow and stock up on unperishables anyway.