Nurse put her unwashed finger in my child's mouth this morning

[sal93]

I am really disgusted. Went to an emergency gp appointment to check my 10 months old chest following a viral infection (bad cough)

We told we were seeing the nurse on arrival... she walked out the doors, (went through 3 to bring us into her room) then looked on he's ears and then just took hold of he's mouth opened it up and stuck her thumb on he's tongue and shon the light down he's throat (from the ear torch thing)

It happened so fast but I'm so angry he's already I'll and now potentially got the chance of catching something else. I don't know if I'm being over the top to complain to the practice ? It's a busy Gp surgery with 12 doctors 7 nurses etc so lots of sick people in and out through the doors.

She didn't sanitise her hands we just sat straight down and it's the first thing she done .

He has been so so poorly and still not over it. Now I'm worrying about this too.

Tbh your child is more likely to give his bug to her. You're tired and stressed ,don't focus on this. Hope your little one is better soon.

He’ll be fine OP - at 10 months they are putting endless rubbish in their mouths. You are right she should have washed her hands, but it won’t do him any harm.

Don’t worry about it and I hope he feels better soon.

Don’t worry about it. He's more likely to catch more germs from putting his own unwashed fingers in his mouth.

Sounds like an honest mistake. A few times nurses have forgotten to use gloves and I have to sympathise with them making these mistakes with the work load they're dealing with. He will put worse things in his mouth! X

HIS!!!! "He's" means he is. "His" means belong to him

At 10 months old my child was putting worse things in his mouth including my own fingers, so in the scheme of things there are worse thing to complain about

She'll have sanitised/ washed her hands between patients. Thats what nurses do!

I think YABU and a little anxious. He likely puts worse things in his mouth all the time. He will be fine

That's pretty disgusting and I'd make a complaint to the practice manager. What happened to gloves?

However, many illnesses are airborne (especially the ones people are currently visiting the GP for: RSV, HMPV, COVID) so I'd be more worried if she wasn't wearing a mask because she would be exposed to all of these in her work.

He'll be ok.
Try and relax. 💝

Seriously shut up. A stressed out mum doesn't need your pedantic bullshit. Her meaning was perfectly clear.

YABU - no wonder people don't want to go into healthcare if they are likely to be complained about for things like this.

That was my first thought too.
@sal93 What makes you think that she hadn’t washed her hands before examining your son?

Try not to worry. I hope he gets better soon.

It's so ingrained in nurses to sanitise I'd be astounded if she hadn't.

The OP clearly says they walked down corridors and opened several doors beforehand.
Any cleaning of hands should have been done in the room afterwards.

I'm a nurse and I'd never ever put my hands in a patient's mouth. Not just for their benefit but my own. They have those sticks for this very reason. Rank. I'd complain!

My GP washed her hands and then put a finger in my DDs mouth at her 6 week check and it really upset me. A dentist wouldn’t examine a patient without gloves so I don’t see why a doctor or nurse should behave differently. Hope that you are ok, it’s a worry you could do without.

the nurse probably washed her hands between patients.