Nate

It really depends on what is wrong with the patient. Is it complications with the Spina Bifida, or is it a suspected c-spine compromise secondary to MVA? This is how I believe and feel. I try to stay as glove free as the situation permits, provided I have no cuts hands, and there is no open sores or blood I see on their hands. When I do where gloves, if they ask about them, I tell them I'm not only protecting myself, but I'm protecting them from any colds or germs I might have. But, I feel that I can get more trust if I shake the hand of a man c/o CP with no gloves, then if I act like they are going to kill me if I touch them. So if there was no blood, no body fluids, I would go glove free out of respect to the patient with Sinpa Bifida; however if there was blood, I would try to minimize the level of touching to reduce exposure. There is the gray area...on one side we don't want to risk ourselves, on the other...we don't want to induce any harm to our patient.

I know this sounds kind of f*cked up...but I saw a guy who just wouldn't listen and he kept getting shocked...it was kind of funny because he kept trying to punch the cop and kept getting shocked. I went to put the pulse ox on him and he started screaming after he finally gave up.

I carry pocket dictionary....and I hand it out to all of the people who can't speak English.

The ability to have options when it comes to drugs. :shock: WTF!

We have the nitrile gloves (purple) and some kind of blue gloves that aren't vinyl or plastic...don't really know what they are. (I'll look when I'm there again.) To be honest, I don't really care what kind of gloves they give me, as long as they aren't the lunch lady gloves, the el cheapo's, or the to small. I don't support the ban of latex, here is the reason. I think the diamond grip latex gloves are the best gloves I've ever used. They don't rip, easy to get on, and fit really well. Plus, I have a grip when I go to grab something when the glove is wet. I hate wearing nitrile gloves in the rain or around wet surfaces. Also, I use latex tourniquets because I think they wrap tighter and seem to hold up better. Still, I ask if the patient is allergic to anything, including latex...but it has its good points. Plus, they are cheaper then nitrile glvoes, and I'd rather have better drugs or better equipment then to simply have non-latex gloves. Just my two cents.