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Original poster

Nurses - do you want hand cream and bubble bath and takeaways?

63 replies

Feedingthebirds1 · 30/01/2021 23:10

Sorry I know nurses have posted about this before. Someone I know is raising funds for exactly those things (and other bits) to recognise the sacrifices nurses have made and has set a high target they want to achieve.

From what I remember reading on here, nurses aren't desperate for those things and I'm reluctant to contribute until I've checked.

And is there anything else that would be better received/more useful? I'd rather give to that if there is. I've nothing against nurses, please don't get me wrong, it's just my recollection that actually they're not particularly wanted and I'd prefer to do something that is. Happy to be told I'm wrong if that's not the case.

OP posts:
Kroptopbelly · 31/01/2021 13:46

It was thought that Vaseline and oxygen can cause burns.
However in over 30 years of nursing, using Vaseline for dry, cracked lips on patients, never have I seen burns.
Also I did a literature search for evidence to back up this thought, there is none.
Lip balm is essential for these poor poor people.

heatherafter · 31/01/2021 13:48

@Kroptopbelly

It was thought that Vaseline and oxygen can cause burns. However in over 30 years of nursing, using Vaseline for dry, cracked lips on patients, never have I seen burns. Also I did a literature search for evidence to back up this thought, there is none. Lip balm is essential for these poor poor people.

Vaseline is flammable. Please don't use Vaseline on patients on o2.

Kroptopbelly · 31/01/2021 13:48

davidSchitt I absolutely LOVE your name...ewww David!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Care homes
Kroptopbelly · 31/01/2021 13:49

Sorry to say but we do and have done for years and years and years with no fires occurring.

Fieldofyellowflowers · 31/01/2021 13:55

@blackheartsgirl

That's horrible. Being a nurse doesn't make them superior. You all do your bit, at risk to yourselves and if it wasn't for cleaners hospitals would be a lot less hygienic than they are. Thank you for all that you do.

Isadora2007 · 31/01/2021 13:55

What @Stompythedinosaur said. Pay nurses well and they can provide what they want for themselves. Respect and ongoing awareness of the value of the NHS to everyone and support going forward is what will make a difference longer term. People not misusing services or missing appointments or filling prescriptions they don’t need etc.
Donate to foodbanks and charities. And support the NHS by staying as healthy as you can and voting well!

Hairyfairy01 · 31/01/2021 13:57

We get it drummed into us never to use lip balms on patients on oxygen due to burns / being potentially flammable. I have never seen it done, it's just one of those never, never things.
Lip balms for staff is lovely though!

SimplyGrateful · 31/01/2021 14:00

Thank you for this thread. I recently spent quite a while in hospital with COVID and I want to show my gratitude by delivering a hamper of goodies to the ward I was in. I shall certainly put some of the items mentioned on this thread into the box.

I was in the respiratory ward which was full of COVID patients and yet some staff had only the flimsy paper masks. Would that be their personal choice or is there a shortage of more substantial masks for HCWs? If the latter, can anyone suggest what masks I should buy please?

Also, would support stockings be useful?

I want all the staff to be able to choose something for themselves out of the box, including those on the night shift, cleaners, those who deliver food and water etc, but I do have some concerns it won’t get to them at all. I know I can’t hand deliver it to the ward. Can anyone suggest who I should address the box to please? I know absolutely nothing about the ranking of nurses/management.

DogsSausages · 31/01/2021 14:08

Dont buy masks. they will not be approved by the hospital for use. You can deliver the box to Reception with a note inside asking if it can be given to a specific ward. You can email the Chief Exec to thank the staff and to say you wish to donate a hamper.

SmudgeButt · 31/01/2021 14:14

what a lovely bunch of ideas for a work fundraiser! we've been raising money for the local food bank but people get so worn out if you talk about the same cause - no matter how good it is!

there's a hospital around the corner from our office. the business has so many people working from home they have offered the car parking space free to the NHS workers which I think is marvellous. So the logistics on this will be simple whether it's stuff for staff or patients or both!!

Fizzgigg · 31/01/2021 14:27

Consider donating to the Beauty Banks? They work with charities to get 'beauty' (aka sometimes basic hygiene) products to people in need - the homeless, the ill, frontline workers etc.

www.beautybanks.org.uk/

SimplyGrateful · 31/01/2021 14:29

Thank you DogsSausages - that's the info I need.

Mmn654123 · 31/01/2021 14:40

@blackheartsgirl

Don't forget to include domestics who work on covid wards too please. We clean covid wards and don't get to see any of these donations. We have to wear the hotmasks and wash our hands countless of times. I'v gone home with cracked and bleeding lips and very sore hands after my shifts but as one nurse said to a colleague once you're just a cleaner we save lives. But we catch and die from covid just as much as they do
When I started nursing, the housekeeping staff were employed by the hospital and worked as part of the ward team day to day - so always on the same ward. It was a sad day when that changed. The housekeeping staff were and are as vital a part of the care team as the porters, nurses, surgeons, catering staff, anaesthetists and others. The nurse who said that to your colleague had a chip on her shoulder and that’s her issue - not yours or your colleagues. You can’t have health without hygiene. Maybe she was having a bad day herself with too much of having to clean folks bums!
DogsSausages · 31/01/2021 14:44

Include a typed list of the contents and it might be an idea to call someone like risk management for advice. If they dont deal with this they will know who does. The box may need quarantine and cleaning but you dont want it to just get left in a office somewhere so chase it up with the ward manager after a few days to ask if they have received it. They may suggest using a see thru plastic box.

Mmn654123 · 31/01/2021 14:44

The oxygen / Vaseline things is just a myth. It’s because it’s petroleum jelly people think it can burst into flames. It can’t. For goodness sake, apply Vaseline to your patients lips - they need it more than ever when they are on oxygen.

Mmn654123 · 31/01/2021 14:46

This guy has demonstrated well - apparently the same myth exists among car mechanics

m.youtube.com/watch?v=5J0VG4_jR2w

StiggyZardust · 31/01/2021 14:46

I'm working at one of the mass vaccination centres. Hand cream would be great as we're sanitising and washing our hands so often. Fruit would be lovely as well.
Thank you for thinking about us.

Icantrememebrtheartist · 31/01/2021 14:48

My sister is a Sister on Covid wards, in ICU, and theatre (I hope I’ve got it correct) and no she doesn’t want hand cream, bubble bath, homemade cakes and the public clapping. She wants PPE, fully staffed shifts and a pay rise.

Reinventinganna · 31/01/2021 14:56

@blackheartsgirl

Don't forget to include domestics who work on covid wards too please. We clean covid wards and don't get to see any of these donations. We have to wear the hotmasks and wash our hands countless of times. I'v gone home with cracked and bleeding lips and very sore hands after my shifts but as one nurse said to a colleague once you're just a cleaner we save lives. But we catch and die from covid just as much as they do
@blackheartsgirl that’s awful! We have fought for our domestics to be included in everything. Domestics are as much a part of our team as everyone else. Our nurses have given goody bags issued by the trust to domestics when we realised that they didn’t get any, we redirected take away to their base because they were excluded, we are giving unofficial supervision.

As a nurse, I couldn’t cope without you. You ARE saving lives. Thank you for everything that you do, I couldn’t do your job. Flowers

Op, it’s really kind that you are putting thought into this. Personally I don’t know what I would want. World peace? Grin

davidsSchitt · 31/01/2021 14:56

@Icantrememebrtheartist I don't think the op can provide that for her 

In the meantime, it's nice to be thought about isn't it?

Your anger is misplaced.

@Kroptopbelly ewwww Grin

Right - so am I ok to leave Vaseline in my emergency hospital bag or what?! Is there a better brand?

SingingWaffleDoggy · 31/01/2021 15:07

These things are very much appreciated but in no way expected. Lip balm for staff under masks is a lovely idea. As would tea tree or eucalyptus oils be ( a few drops at the chin of the mask helps stop you getting a gacky mouth). Also shower gels and hand cream are a godsend at the moment.
I love the idea of toiletries for patients. Any lip balm used with oxygen needs to be non flammable. Ie not oil/ petroleum based and more of a cream. Again, think refreshing scents rather than sweet/ sickly. Toothbrushes, decent toothpaste, roll on or stick deodorant rather than aerosols.
Nothing that isn’t individually wrapped though. I don’t want to plunge my hand into a covid soup biscuit barrel!
I love the support that we have had from the communities, it’s definitely helped in hard times. I’m grateful for the generosity, but what means most is the letters or notes that come in with the gifts, to know you are appreciated is the best gift you can receive.

Icantrememebrtheartist · 31/01/2021 15:25

davidsSchitt How is my anger misplaced? I’m not angry.

I can only comment on how she feels, other frontline staff may feel differently, although she has said her colleagues feel the same.

Of course it’s nice to feel appreciate but there have been several threads from posters stating they think NHS staff are being ‘grabby by asking for freebies’ or queue jumping etc. I’m merely stating that not all nurses want freebies or ask for them.

Lovelydovey · 31/01/2021 15:29

An interesting thread. I wanted to send a gift to the wards that treated my parents with covid. I handed in box of celebrations when I collected my DF’s belongings. A basket of hand creams seems a good idea - and if they would prefer to pass on to patients they can.

Icantrememebrtheartist · 31/01/2021 16:03

Lovelydovely I think that would be lovely. Having spoken to my sister I know she gets very emotionally involved and many of the patients linger in her mind long after her shift has finished.

sueelleker · 31/01/2021 16:26

@Kroptopbelly

It was thought that Vaseline and oxygen can cause burns. However in over 30 years of nursing, using Vaseline for dry, cracked lips on patients, never have I seen burns. Also I did a literature search for evidence to back up this thought, there is none. Lip balm is essential for these poor poor people.
I worked in a hospital pharmacy until I retired a year ago; every time we dispensed paraffin based preparations we had to supply a warning sheet about fire hazard.