Blood Tests

[emmie]

should the phlebotomist wear gloves when taking your blood, as this is the second time the same person wasn't wearing them, i asked and he said it wasn't always necessary, or that they can't feel the vein if wearing gloves?

[LazyGun]

@ Sqad - I had thought as both ;)

Seems that this might be a misunderstanding on my part, and slum landlords are allowed to insert arterial lines, which is a little worrying ;)

[emmie]

somewhat off the topic. i am none the wiser.

[LazyGun]

None the wiser about what, Emmie?

[Sqad]

lazygun.......this is the problem that I have with academics, eg PP, I haven't a bloody clue as to what they are talking about.

Why not try simple language which we can all understand?

I am none the wiser and it will last as such.

[emmie]

on what Peter said

[anneasquith]

emmie, it would seem the phlebotomist chooses to wear gloves or not,but I don't for one second believe anyone working in a clinical area should have dirty fingernails.

[emmie]

or whether its safer for the bloke to have worn gloves, clean hands might have helped...

[emmie]

anne i go along with that, he looked like he'd been digging the garden

[LazyGun]

"or whether its safer for the bloke to have worn gloves, clean hands might have helped.."

It seems to be that you have been given lots of comment on this issue, all of which is quite clear. Wearing gloves is a recommended practice by international health authorities, but their wear is principally to offer protection to the phlebotomist, not as a hygiene measure for the patient.

The important caveat here is hand hygiene, which absolutely should be adopted between patients, and if you ever have problems with someones hygiene in those circumstances, you should raise that issue with the person concerned.

As to the wearing of gloves in the health organisations in the UK - that is largely down to individual trusts whether this is adopted as a routine principle of for high risk patients only.

[emmie]

i am aware of what you are saying - i havent had any reason to notice this before the last two blood tests, as those at hospital always wore gloves, i really thought this was the norm.

[stewey]

A few months ago I was reading about Ignaz Philip Semmelweis, and this article seems to fit in with this thread. Remember, his ideas preceded Pasteur. He had many, many detractors, in fact one noted obstetrician, Charles Meigs, arrogantly postulated "That doctors are gentlemen, and it is not necessary for gentlemen to wash their hands"!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis

[stewey]

Regarding the original question: the wearing of gloves by a phlebotomist is a handicap (pardon the pun) as they need to feel the location; however, having clean hands and nails would be common-sense.

[Sqad]

stewey......indeed Semelweiss was a great Hungarian physician who revolutionised obstetrics from post partum infection..........being Hungarian do you think that he was Granville's father?

[stewey]

Sqad, who was Granville?

[pixie373]

Gloves are being used less and less in care homes, too. Hands are washed, but gloves make little difference unless you have open cuts on your hands. They certainly aren't going to protect anyone from a needlestick injury. I think people have been scared into being overcautious about the real risks of cross-infection.

[Sqad]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_All_Hours

Sorry stewey, just my odd sense of humour.

In the link above scroll down and read under GRANVILLE.

[stewey]

Sqad, I think That I would have to be there:) Anyway, Dr Meigs apparently said ""Doctors are gentlemen and a gentleman's hands are clean", but who knows with quotes.

[Sqad]

LOL..stewey.....Don't worry about my posts, as at times i try to be clever and fall on my face OR it is misconstrued and my posts are removed....;-)

[stewey]

A sqadectomy.

[Sqad]

;-)