I asked the nurse to wash her hands

[FreakinScaryCaaw]

This morning I took my teenage son for a blood test. The nurse had used the keyboard to look up stuff and touched other surfaces. She was just about to take bloods when I said 'you are going to wash your hands aren't you?' She said my son was the first patient of the day and her hands were clean but if it made me feel better she'd wash them. I replied that she'd touched surfaces. She wasn't happy. She washed her hands reluctantly.

I wasn't being an arse was I?

[Mrsmorton]

viloot that could have been a clean area, one that's used to store clean instruments before use and is cleaned between patients. Correct zoning also has a dirty area which is cleaned between patients but where clean instruments aren't allowed.

As soon as the packaging is opened, the swabs etc aren't sterile, neither is your vagina. Genuine question, where should the nurse put them before use?

[Mrsmorton]

Gloves lead to overconfidence mrsd totally agree. They are porous and not sterile. In fact, at less than 1p each, I dread to think what sort of conditions they are manufactured and packaged into their perforated cardboard boxes in.

[VilootShesCute]

I had placed my handbag on the said worktop after it being on the floor. I assumed they'd open the swabs as you're legs akimbo on the bed. I was too polite to say anything to her!

[Reapwhatyousow]

Well done for speaking up OP. It's basic infection control not rocket science.

[Mrsmorton]

Hmm, not ideal. Why did you put your handbag on the side though? After it had been on the floor?
Not your job to oversee cross infection rules tho I suppose.

Still, probably about as sterile as a vagina.

[feralgoat]

I doubt the op thought that the nurse was going to transmit an illness via her son's blood stream

Really? So what did she think would happen?

[PeachyStone]

The brushes used for smears aren't sterile. When I did smears I cleaned down the top of my dressings trolley and popped it on the top.

[feralgoat]

that the HCP who has been around sources of infection her entire working day would pass something on to him

via his forearm? Is OPs son in a protective bubble until touched on the forearm?

[BluePitchFork]

into a person's bloodstream.
is that so hard to grasp?
are you that nurse?

[VilootShesCute]

mrsdevere agree.

We too had to stop dd getting sick and after so much time in hospital it was kinda the norm for us. I felt weird asking guests to wash hands and take shoes off etc but when you have a poorly child that takes precedence doesn't it.

[feralgoat]

mrs implied it obviously wouldn't be via his bloodstream, which was what I was questioning. his arm is not sterile. if not via his bloodstream, how? osmosis?

[VilootShesCute]

Plus they do sterilise the arm before a blood test normally with a wipe don't they?! Because it's supposed to be sterile. I'd do same as op did.

[welshweasel]

No you don't use an alcohol wipe before taking blood. There's no way you can pass a blood borne infection on by taking blood. You could pass bugs from skin to skin in the same way as shaking hands. That's why you wash hands between patients.

[welshweasel]

Once again, taking blood is not a sterile procedure...

[CPtart]

No need for alcohol wipes before taking blood. It's not supposed to be sterile. The bottles aren't sterile, neither are the gloves if used, nor will any cotton wool be when applied after...

[feralgoat]

^ right. that was my point/confusion

[Mrsmorton]

Sterile is a bit of a misnomer. Even stuff which is "sterile" is only "decontaminated" I don't actually think sterile exists in this context.

Anyway, hand washing with good old soap and water is an excellent way of preventing the spread of hospital acquired infection.
Blood borne viruses are a different matter and can be pretty difficult to transmit in any case.

Hopefully the nurse will be more careful in future, we were always taught to actually be washing your hands or using the gel as your patient entered the room, for the avoidance of doubt. Same goes for opening the "sterile"packs. Also had a patient make a complaint about me reusing an instrument I'd dropped on the floor because I didn't make enough of a show about asking the nurse to get a new, wrapped one out of the cupboard. Interestingly, if she had complained at the time I could have shown her the instrument still on the floor so I'd suggest it's better all round to ask at the time.

[VilootShesCute]

Okay maybe not "sterile" but cleaner than say, the keyboard which is in reception of a doctors surgery. Taken from nhs website...

"Before taking the sample, the doctor or nurse may clean the area of skin with an antiseptic wipe."

I have always been wiped before. Thought it was part of the process.

[Xenophile]

I never wiped down with an antiseptic wipe. We were taught not to unless the skin was obviously extremely grubby.

I never wore gloves to take bloods as I found people preferred me to be able to find a good solid vein first time around. I did however keep my hands scrupulously clean all the time, by washing them!

[Mrsmorton]

MrsD run me through temperature taking as a vet nurse...

Are you still one?

[WhyShouldYou]

Presume the nurse didn't touch the needle at any point in the process, and cleaned the target area with an antibacterial wipe before the 'stabbing'? (I hate needles)

If so, what's the benefit of her cleaning her hands first?

Genuine question.

[Sidge]

I'm a practice nurse. I wash my hands approximately 50-60 times a day - often before and of course after seeing each patient. I also clean our keyboard daily and clean my trolley for each use.

I don't wear gloves for taking blood, and if I'd washed my hands before calling a patient in I'd then use hand gel rather than washing again. We don't clean the skin before taking blood or giving injections - it's not a sterile procedure (especially injections), and tends to be a no touch technique.

I do tell patients not to put their bags on my trolley and worksurface though - I clean them before patients come in!

Hand gel is no substitute for handwashing, it should be used as well, not instead. And once applied 5 times you need to wash your hands before applying any more as it wouldn't be effective.