Wash Your Darn Hands!

After reading the article about the personal hygeine of medical staff, I was disgusted. Washing your hands is a no brainer in my mind. I mean, if I was the leukemia mentioned in this article and had received an infection because someone didn't wash their hand, I would be furious.

Ever since I was a little kid, I've had speakers come visit classrooms, taken many health classes, etc. Even though I can't see germs and bacteria with the naked eye, I know they're there. Everyday, I try to wash my hands at least after I go to the bathroom if not before anything else. It's common sense, because it's really disgusting to go to the bathroom and see someone else go to the bathroom and not wash their hands, usually I then wash my hands extra longer so to make up for their lack of washing. I know that sounds kind of extreme but it really disgusts me that people don't always wash their hands after they go to the bathroom. Then again after fifteen minutes I'll probably forget about them not washing their hands and take food from them if it's offered.

Seriously though, it's so gross to think that nurses and doctors haven't washed their hands. This makes me kind of nervous actually, because I recently went in for blood work for the third time this year and the nurse cut off part of the elastic glove to find a good vein(which she had trouble sticking a needle into might I add). If I hadn't of read this article I wouldn't have even cared, but since she also used that finger to touch the needle before it went in and the actual opening where the needle came from, I could've received an infection. Maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but since there is apparently a problem of doctors and nurses forgetting to wash their hands, I think I have some right to feeling this way.

Another thing that bothered me was how some doctors resented being told what to do by their patients. It's one thing to be asked by your leukemia patient to wash your hands, it's another if she's asking you to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Yeah, sure nobody likes to be bossed around, I know I don't, but it honestly isn't as crazy a request to do. It's very selfish to not wash your hands and lie about it before you actually move their antibiotic line.