while washing hands...

[fun8stuff]

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when you go into see a patient, and you immediately wash your hands (primary care setting), what do you say while washing your hands? i was thinking of introducing myself afterward so i can shake the patient's hand after i wash my hands. it seems like there will be this great silence....

 

[Blade28]

Sometimes I'll wash my hands as I complete the history. Or you can wash your hands before you enter the room...or as you walk in.

 

[PoorMD]

when you go into see a patient, and you immediately wash your hands (primary care setting), what do you say while washing your hands? i was thinking of introducing myself afterward so i can shake the patient's hand after i wash my hands. it seems like there will be this great silence....

It's up to you.. but I think it is generally accepted that you give the patient an intro hand shake (this varies across ethnicity, gender). For example, I might not shake an elderly woman's hand but rather put my hand on her arm and sort of let her know I am in the room with her as I introduce myself and get her cc

the key to remember is to wash your hands again before you leave the room!!

 

[fun8stuff]

bump

 

[OSUdoc08]

when you go into see a patient, and you immediately wash your hands (primary care setting), what do you say while washing your hands? i was thinking of introducing myself afterward so i can shake the patient's hand after i wash my hands. it seems like there will be this great silence....

Wash your hands before you go into the room.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Wash your hands before you go into the room.

No, you want the patient to see you wash them.

PS: This is a good way to fail Step 2 CS.

 

[OSUdoc08]

No, you want the patient to see you wash them.

PS: This is a good way to fail Step 2 CS.

Do you always do everything in real life like you do on tests?

 

[fun8stuff]

well, i should have specified. i am asking this mostly for testing purposes. we have an exam thursday on taking patient's history, etc. one of things we are graded on is whether we wash our hands.

i was just wondering what is a good opener to say while i wash my hands to avoid awkward silence... i figure i should shake patient's hand after i wash to prevent spreading germs to themm.... theoretically speaking...

 

[liverotcod]

Do you always do everything in real life like you do on tests?

A. Of course not.
B. I think patients do find it comforting that their doc cares enough not to prod them with dirty hands.
C. So I think end of the hx before beginning physical works well.
D. All of the above.

 

[adiddas125]

Perhaps you can initiate some small talk while you are doing the hand wash routine (20 seconds???)

 

[Soup]

I usually introduce myself verbally as I cross the room and start washing my hands. While I'm washing and drying my hands, I try to make some small talk -- "have you been able to enjoy the weather today" "I haven't been outside in a while what is the weather like now" "I really like that shirt" etc. After washing my hands, I reintroduce myself as I shake their hand and begin asking about CC. Good Luck.

 

[mysophobe]

B. I think patients do find it comforting that their doc cares enough not to prod them with dirty hands.

Ding! Not that they're the same or anything, but if I'm in the bathroom with a cook, I don't want to just assume he'll wash his hands before he puts them on the food, I'd like to see him do it before he leaves the bathroom so I know I'm not getting a "special blend".

 

[DizzyNT]

They encourage use of alcohol based hand sanitizers at some hospitals around here...

as convenient as it may seem I don't like em. Leaves my hands dry, with a weird smell, and just a weird feeling. Much rather wash my hands old fashioned way.

But yeah wash your hands in front of patient to assure them your hands are clean nothing more. (You should wash em regardless)

 

[UCLAstudent]

I shake the patient's hand first and then wash my hands.

 

[8744]

I say, "Let me wash my hands. It's just something I like to do every fifth or sixth patient."

To the OP, are you insane? Either make polite conversation like, "So how are the kids?" or start elliciting their chief complaint or their history.

 

[G0S2]

I usually introduce myself verbally as I cross the room and start washing my hands. While I'm washing and drying my hands, I try to make some small talk -- "have you been able to enjoy the weather today" "I haven't been outside in a while what is the weather like now" "I really like that shirt" etc. After washing my hands, I reintroduce myself as I shake their hand and begin asking about CC. Good Luck.

Exactly what I do. Even though real life may be different, our profs have stressed that you should always wash your hands in front of the SP. In fact, the SP's will ask you to wash your hands if you forget and go to shake theirs.

 

[jojo14]

On standardized exams (and in real life) I always wash my hands right before I start the physical exam and use it as an opportunity to get social history (So, what do you do for a living? Do you have any kids? Etc.) You can also use the 30 secs or whatever to do a mini talk about quitting smoking, which always seems to come up on those stupid OSCEs.

 

[lil pook]

first walk in the room...do a little dance...sing a little song...get down tonight.....




are you serious with this stupid thread?

just wondering

 

[mojojojo]

I'm just a lowly first-year (on my way to second, woo-hoo!) but I worked in a Ob/gyn office before med school. So, it went like this:

Walk in, shake hands with patient.
Wash hands.
Do exam.
Wash hands again before leaving.


So, this way the patient knows your hands were clean when you examined them and also when you first shook their hand because they saw you wash them on the way out too.

Let me just add that the key is a soap with lotion in it! I probably washed my hands 30+ times a day, and let's just say you really appreciate the moisturizer in the soap!

 

[OSUdoc08]

I followed residents and attendings in the ER several times. Unless it was a particularly nasty patient, we just sprayed the alcohol foam into our hands hanging on the wall outside the door when we left.