Should Doctors and nurses wash their hands after entering your room?

[floridafam]

If you are in the hospital or your child is in the hospital do you think the Doctors and nurses should wash their hands when they enter your hospital room before making contact with you?

I think they should. Just curious about other opinions.

 

[Desnik]

Yes!!!!
I had been in 3 different hospitals with DS, he was a very sick baby and every Dr. that came in the room washed their hands when they walked in. The rooms had a sink right by the door.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think it good safety.

 

[loisg1]

Absolutely!!! When you go to the doctor's office for a visit, they should also wash their hands. Poor handwashing techniques are the quickest way to spread even the common cold.

 

[princess lovers mom]

I always wash before I touch a pt AND after. If your provider does not wash their hands you should request that they do...

and just a note... you should wash your hands after you leave the hospital or Dr. office as you could pick up germs from seats, doorhandles etc...

 

[mom2boys]

I agree that hands should be washed between patients. I have seen doctors/nurses wash hands prior to touching a patient. I also know that our pediatrican washes his hands after each patient. He has to walk to the reception area to do this. He hands the patient file to the receptionist, then washes his hands, and proceeds to the next patient's exam room.

 

[mommytotwo]

Yes. There are so many germs there, and majority of the people are in the hospital cause they are sick.

 

[laurie31]

Absolutely they should! Where I work, it is required to wash (or use the hospital-grade antibacterial cleanser) before and after patient contact. If they don't, you can (and should!) remind them

Laurie

 

[clh2]

Absolutely - handwashing is a must!

Our hospital where I work is spending a fortune on anti-microbial no-rinse hand washes as well. There is NO excuse not to take the time!

All visitors are encouraged to use the no-rinse as well.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Yes, if just for peace of mind of seeing it done! I know they scrub when they are done with a patient, but not always before. Any doc me and son come in contact with all wear rubber gloves also!

 

[Alice28]

YES! The hospital we visit, the staff always makes a point of washing their hands right when they come in the room. Some even have Purell dispensers mounting on the wall and the doctors, nurses squirt that on when there's lots of coming and going.

 

[Kermit]

Our local hospital has waterless hand sanitizer in all of the rooms, and everyone who comes in is supposed to use it. I always watch and make sure they do. Fortunately, they all have. I hate confrontation, so it would make me uncomfortable if I ever had to ask someone to use it, but I would have to do it.

 

[cinmell]

YES!

 

[MinnieYC]

Yes, handwashing is a must before and after patient examinations.

But just an FYI- as someone mentioned, many hospital rooms and medical offices have sinks right outside or nearby. Doctors often wash their hands in one of those, and then immediately go to see the patient. So, they may be following the correct procedure even if you don't see them washing their hands.

No flames, please, but if a doctor or nurse is just coming in to ask questions and isn't doing an examination, I really don't think handwashing is that necessary, as long as it has been done since seeing his/her last patient.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Years ago, before we were all so conscious about hand washing, my dad went to see his doctor. The doctor put his hand to my dad's forehead and then immediately washed his hands. My dad hopped off the table and washed his forehead!

 

[Alex]

I was going to say what Minnie just said. You don't know where the doctor or nurse has been, they may have just washed their hands leaving another room and not touched a thing on the way to yours.
I don't think they need to do it just to put on a show they are busy enough

 

[Princess Dot]

I usually wash my hands AFTER I am done with one patient and then I move on to the next. If there is a break between patient care, I wash (or now it is the "purell" type hand sanitizer) as I enter the room. Most of the time, though I am wearing gloves as I render patient care due to the nature of the care and what they call "universal precautions". That essentially means always wearing gloves when handling bodily fluids.( Yuck, that sounds so gross when I type it! Maybe a little TMI!)

But my pediatrician always makes a big show of washing his hands right as he comes in the room to examine my kids and after he is done. I do appreciate that though as it seems that kind of office is teeming with germs!

 

[Talking Hands]

Should be standard operating procedure. If they are not I would ask them to do so before they touch you.

 

[wilderness01]

Most definately!

 

[KristaTX]

Besides the hand-washing part, all health care providers should put on clean gloves after entering a patient's room and remove them before they leave that patient's room.