Pancreatitis Support Group
Chronic pancreatitis can present as episodes of acute inflammation in a previously injured pancreas, or as chronic damage with persistent pain or malabsorption. Patients with chronic pancreatitis can present with persistent abdominal pain or steatorrhea, as well as severe nausea. Some patients with chronic pancreatitis often look very sick, while others don't appear to be...
Yesterday I had my endoscopy. This has been bothering me all day. Thought I would share with you all - What would you have done/said.
I'm laying on the table with the nurses prepping me. Waiting. Finally the dr comes in the room, says hello. Then goes over to the wall, where the computer is and I assume she is reading my chart on the computer. I'm laying on my side, not sedated yet, but they are just waiting for dr.
So I'm laying there watching the dr on the other side of the room, doing something on the computer. She PUTS ON HER BLUE GLOVES(which I assume are the gloves she will use when she does the procedure) Then she puts her elbows on the table and her gloved hands on her face! And continues to read the computer and type on it.
I wanted so badly to say..HEY..you just put those sterile gloves on your face... But I didn't have the nerve and then I drifted off to sleep.
I'm so tired of not being able to speak up about this topic when a doctor doesn't wash hands. How often does the dentist come in, look at your mouth with no gloves, and when you are all done...he leaves. At what point is he washing his hands? Or gloves that he touches germy things.
Same thing with PCP..she comes in says hello, does her thing, and leaves. I never saw her wash her hands on the way in or the way out.
any comments?
I'm laying on the table with the nurses prepping me. Waiting. Finally the dr comes in the room, says hello. Then goes over to the wall, where the computer is and I assume she is reading my chart on the computer. I'm laying on my side, not sedated yet, but they are just waiting for dr.
So I'm laying there watching the dr on the other side of the room, doing something on the computer. She PUTS ON HER BLUE GLOVES(which I assume are the gloves she will use when she does the procedure) Then she puts her elbows on the table and her gloved hands on her face! And continues to read the computer and type on it.
I wanted so badly to say..HEY..you just put those sterile gloves on your face... But I didn't have the nerve and then I drifted off to sleep.
I'm so tired of not being able to speak up about this topic when a doctor doesn't wash hands. How often does the dentist come in, look at your mouth with no gloves, and when you are all done...he leaves. At what point is he washing his hands? Or gloves that he touches germy things.
Same thing with PCP..she comes in says hello, does her thing, and leaves. I never saw her wash her hands on the way in or the way out.
any comments?
I too am very conscious of the cleanliness of my surroundings. When in the hospital or visiting the doc office or for outpatient testing, I have gotten really direct with some of the caregivers if they have not prepared themselves prior to touching my person!
Last month a nurse that was setting up an IV for me to have contrast with during an MRI got my wrath. Actually, I thought I was pretty nice when I asked" so okay before you scrub my arm in preparation for the iv - you are planning on washing your hands and using the gloves that are provided to protect both of us?" She responded hastily that she was absolutely going to do so.I would have gotten up and asked for another RN if she would have done so.
I also will not sit in wheelchairs or on scan tables without a fresh blanket or sheet between me and the machine. So far, everyone has accommodated my requests. And, no I am not OCD :)
I have noticed ( i look and sometimes use myself) that most of the offices, hospital rooms, etc have antibacterial soap on both the inside and outside of the doorways. One of the patient rights that is noted on the literature of the hospital where I receive care includes a statement of safe and sanitary care.
It is hard to advocate for ourselves sometimes, but I figure that at my age (57) my voice is important to the healthy outcomes I would like to see for myself as my quality of life slowly improves. Oh, and I always profusely thank them for taking special care as well!
To less germ sharing!
Kathy
I am sure what she slipped on were Blue Nitrile gloves that are definitely not sterile....
Sterile gloves would be on a surgical table after the doc has scrubbed in....and they are in a paper envelope, and they are normally off-white in color.
I can definitely see being annoyed that someone touched her face and computer and then touched a scope...but most likely you were not put in any danger, depending on what you were having done. It also could have been that the doc is someone who likes to wear exam gloves just for her own benefit and after you were put under and fully prepped she put on her surgical gloves.....
You are right, they were blue gloves and if I remember correctly, they weren't even tight fitting. I'm not a germaphobe by any means, but sometimes I just feel like speaking up and don't have the nerve.
When I was in the hospital, i got severe rash on my feet because I didn't use the socks. They were too loose fitting and got stuck in the sheets. But after getting what I think was severe athletes feet, I always used my flip flops to walk around.
I like that at the grocery stores now they have the wipes, you can clean the cart with.
When on an airplane, I'm very careful touching everything. I takes wipes with me and wipe down my seat and sanitize my hands often.
I also believe we need to be exposed to germs. But in hospitals, dr office and flying(don't want to be sick on the trip) we should take as many precautions as we can.
I wish I could be direct like you with the doctors. I'll give it a real effort next time and see how it goes.
Thanks for your reply.