General Chat

thanks for fantastic constructive comments!
Dx

Mmmmmm - Nurses Uniforms!

The more the merrier I say!

xxxxx mick

The standards have gone down, Doctors walk around with their coats open and swinging with stethoscope round their neck and used on one patient then another without being wiped with a alcohol wipe. There are pens and badges etc etc.

Look at the TV cookery programes how many chefs/kitchen staff now wear hats? Yep standards have fallen.
Also nurses now don't wear hats or aprons. They say aprons carry bugs but then so must the uniform.

Pat who did work in a hospital preparing chemotherapy and visiting wards.

....Unfortunately....Bugs..bacteria,,,MRSA...are our `companions`....fact of life....

If I was swabbed after every shift.. I work..Lord knows..what I would be carrying on my person!..(not just me..but every doctor..theatre nurse..etc etc)

MRSA..is a bit difffernt because it is somewhat resistant ot antibiotics we use for commmon chest infections and the like.
Also I do think it is blown out of proportion(but thats my opinion)

Many of us..are too.."trigger happy"...in getting antibiotics for a miniscule prob..
We have to build up resistance to bugs..
Too many people want antibiotics for silly things..commom colds..for eg..its a virus!..
antiobitics do not work!
Mrsa?..its a bug like any other...

I would think that pens would be a major source of constant cross contamination as a pen will move around the ward and you probably wouldn't think to wash your hands after using it. Also, ties I would think for the reason of being straightened/touched and being perceived to not need washing as often.

Visitors can bring in a lot and as I've said previously the book trolleys and magazines in waiting rooms are also big culprits. But lets not forget, how many patients carry things in with them already? They don't make you shower and get into clean gown before going to theatre etc... not like they used to.

mrsa was found on Doctors ties and pens in a hospital I worked in,Rosxx

People do not realize that relatives visiting..loved ones are carrying all sorts of bugs and things..I have nothing against visiting..rights..but when I see 10 rellies around a bed space..it does make you wonder...just a thought

~~~~~~~As a nurse....I think its not good practice..to travel on public transport..in uniforms..I travel in car..or change at work...would never dream of going anywhere in uniform
Doctors are prohibited now from wearing ties..at my hosp.

Whilst we are on subject of MRSA...Patients relatives are much to blame...they dont always wash hands or use anti bacterial gels prior to entering wards etc..

yes bring back matrons, I agree but launder on site let nurses have changing rooms and Doctors as well, change start of shift! maybe shower at start of shift?
Davex

My mum bless her always says bring back the old matrons in the hospitals they always run their ships spick and span, if something wasnt clean or to her level of work the ward was never opened un til everything was gleaming, maybe she is right?

Glad you see my view di, i thought i was going overboard with my point of view, but on the documentry, they did examin the tie and it was contaminated with the MRSA bug plus traces of samunela, and that was after a days shift at a hospital, a doctor doing his ward rounds was more of a carrier than an outside person or visitor

Wendy
I agree about Doctors being the worst culprit. I took some to task once about lack of hygiene and protection of patients. They don't adhere to control of infection policies and please themselves. I don't think ties have been proven as infection risks although they do dangle infront of patients, but handwashing alone is an area where they sadly lack.
Di

As some of you know my OH is a butcher....he is not allowed to go outside the shop with his white coat and apron on.....even if its to put someones meat in their car.

Karen x

I watch a documentry program on MRSA once and they were saying the worse people to be the carrier of MRSA is the doctors, they have very little time to wash their hands, they work near on 60 or more hours a week in some cases, and the worse coulprit of all is the tie they wear when examining patience, they go from patience to patience, they wear there white coats but can transfer MRSA and other diseases, just my point of veiw. I also worked as a care assistant on the community to help the eldery in there own homes, and i must admit the hygene was a little bit of a miss there, only limited time to help, then off to the other eldery person who needed help, agency workers in the community are limited time too.

Ju Ju you are quite right that is why I posted,
Dx

ok Maz bye
Dx

yes course it is, makes you wonder Maz whether we have gone overboard at times with it?
Dx

I will have to ask my daughter who is kitchen supervisor what score is at hers? I know when I go to see her at kitchen she doesnt come out just waves and rings me on my mobile
Dx

The problem with having people wash their own uniforms is that some people will wash at over 60c and not wash in with the family laundry, and some will not.

Maz that may be the problem cut backs? you should have laundery and changing facilities surely?
Dx