To wonder if this was best practice? (Medical one)

[mummyat23]

I’m 25+4 and I have just been for my whooping cough vaccine. The nurse was lovely but I noticed she wasn’t wearing any gloves nor did I see her sanitise or wash her hands. I didn’t say anything but I wish I had now, but AIBU to be worried about it?

Why you don't always need gloves when giving vaccines | RCN Magazines | Royal College of Nursing

Gloves are for the clinician's protection, not yours. Just because you didn't see her wash her hands doesn't mean she didn't, although in future I think it would be fine to ask them to wash them in your view if you're anxious.

Thank you for this, never knew

Hi GP Practice manager here, our nurses/GPs have not worn gloves to give vaccines since Covid times unless there is a reason ie someone has HIV or Hep C,
this is normally as gloves, even thin ones, inhibit the users sense of touch and feel.
Nurses generally wash their hands right after a patient (better than sanitising).
I can assure you they will, most likely, have done everything in the most sterile way possible.

We’ve got a ‘gloves off’ policy for things like vaccines in our Trust now. I always sanitise my hands before I call the patient in. There’s no direct contact between her hands and your skin for a vaccine, or at least there shouldn’t be.

Washing hands in a clinical setting takes a long time. You wouldn't do it in front of a patient. You finish with a patient, sanitise, write your notes, then wash your hands properly and then call the next one in.

Can't remember the last time gloves were worn when giving a vaccine or doing a blood test. They very rarely do an alcohol rub either.

But then again, i'm self injecting clexane and insulin during pregnancy too and i don't wear gloves or sanitise the area before I inject either!

As has been linked, we don't wear gloves to give vaccines. It's a no touch technique and is not a sterile procedure as such - the needle is sterile and we don't touch the needle. No need to clean or swab the skin either unless it's dirty.

I wash my hands after each patient contact, but you may not see me doing it as it may be before I call you in.

I’d ask them to wash their hands infront of you. Washing hands before you walk in isn’t good enough, since then they’ve touched the keyboard and door handle to let you in.

Not good enough for what, exactly? Can you explain what risk you believe there to be to a patient if I’ve touched a keyboard and a door before I perform a non-touch procedure on them?

WetBandits, Dunning Kruger syndrome methinks.

If washing hands between patients is good practice, then doing that just before administering a treatment to a patient is as good a time as any. It’s reassuring for the patient too.

Even pressing the cotton wool onto the site is pretty close contact.

What a twattish comment. The OP is here looking for reassurance, maybe read the room?

OP asked if there was anything to worry about. It’s been explained by those of us who do this job that there isn’t (and why!) so there’s not really any need for people who are only here to feed OP’s anxiety to say any different.

It’s not classed as a non-touch procedure by the Royal College of Nursing, it’s minimal contact.

They say hands should be washed between patients and during the administration of the vaccine.

Supporting patient confidence by washing hands is also mentioned.

Sounds like some nurses have become sloppy in best practice.

“During the procedure”? I can’t wash my hands as I’m actually giving a vaccine lol.

I wash my hands after a procedure, so after the previous patient. I will then often use hand gel before I open the vaccine box and attach the needle. The patient rarely sees this as I have the gel in front of me and will have my back to them as I prep the vaccine. I attach the needle, turn to the patient, ask them to lift a sleeve and administer the vaccine. I can usually do this without touching the skin. I may then use a cotton wool ball and will ask the patient to hold it if any bleeding. The cotton wool is between me and the skin.

The chance of infection is negligible. Your skin is clean, the needle is sterile, I haven’t touched your skin.

We have a "staff preference" policy for gloves. I don't wear them. I've had one needlestick injury in 25 years and it went right through the glove and into my hand anyway. And I'm convinced it wouldn't have happened if I'd not been wearing gloves.