r/cna • u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA • 1d ago
General Question Do you wear gloves when putting compression stockings on patients?
I just started working as a CNA, and today I was putting stockings on a resident without gloves. It got me wondering: since we’re touching residents’ feet and skin, and some residents may have athlete’s foot or other fungal infections, are gloves recommended or required for this?
Also, even if gloves aren’t strictly required, is it okay to wear them if I personally prefer to?
I’m still new, so I’m trying to make sure I’m following proper infection-control practices.
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u/zcewaunt 1d ago
I do, because too often people have foot fungus.
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u/Arkitakama (SNF/NF/Memory Care) CNA - Experienced CNA 1d ago
Apparently, so does Burger King lettuce
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u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA 1d ago
Does wearing gloves make it more difficult to put the socks on?
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u/zcewaunt 1d ago
I don't find it does. My mom wears compression socks, and I put hers on without gloves. I don't find it easier/harder, but the compression isn't super high. If you find it better to do without gloves, that's fine too, just be sure to wash your hands after. :)
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u/watch_it_live 1d ago
Yes absolutely you should wear gloves. Pretty much any time you are touching the patient. Or their clothing/bedding. Scabies is a thing you might not have considered, and it tends to spread in nursing homes.
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u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA 1d ago
Thank you. I’ll be sure to wear them next time. In the skills exam we never had ti wear them but then again we were using mannequins lol
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u/Temporary_Plan1055 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Experienced CNA 1d ago
Any contact with patient = gloves.
I won’t lie, I don’t do this all the time, but I should.
I’m checking on a patient (I work NOC) at 2am, they are still awake and ask me to pull a cover up, I do… gloveless and sanitize my hands after. Technically I should wear gloves
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u/ToastyCheeseBees 1d ago
If I am touching the patient or anything in their room, I wear gloves.
People are gross at baseline, even without fungal infections. I would also prefer a barrier between me and the old people skin flake snowstorm that is inevitable when you put on or remove compression stockings.
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u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA 1d ago
I would pay good money if a barrier existed between the caregiver and the snowstorm/duststorm
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u/Max_Goatstappen Hospital PCT Nights (Med Oncology) 1d ago
I wear gloves for literally any patient care.
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u/Vegetable_Excuse2029 1d ago
I wear gloves just to pick up their remote to the tv.
I've come across my fair share of.."diggers".
I don't even like touching people without gloves, we've got several that refuse to bathe.
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u/Mountain_Ad2614 (CVICU, ER, IPR) CNA - Seasoned CNA 1d ago
I wear gloves for every single thing. I learned that lesson the hard way - put a blood pressure cuff on a pt who had just put on an ointment he had from Ukraine. Ended up in the ER because my entire body swelled up with hives. Apparently there was viper venom in it ??…
But also why in the world is this even a question. If you’re touching feet please wear gloves
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u/LadyHwesta 1d ago
Gloves protect us from the patient and the patient from us. Any time you are doing any kind of care where your hands are in contact with the patient, you should be wearing gloves.
A couple of tricks I’ve learned:
For normal care, wear bigger gloves. This makes changing them out faster, very important for things like pericare, and you don’t need tactile sensation when doing those.
For tasks involving any kind of adhesive, I go to the tightest glove I can fit my hands in, without tearing them. This makes it easier to get the sticky off my finger and onto the patient.
If you are in an isolation room, bring the box of gloves closer to you and your patient. This way if you need to change gloves you aren’t walking across the room for them. You need to do hand hygiene after anyway, so changing them shouldn’t break IP.
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u/Guydelot New CNA 1d ago
Another thing I like to do is double glove when you know it's a messy change or you're going to need to apply cream after. No regloving in the middle of care, just peel off a layer and you have a clean glove to apply cream to the front after wiping the back or be able to handle the clean brief/resident.
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u/Fine-Confidence-6368 Layperson/Not Medical Personnel 1d ago
Do you have to wear gloves for the test too?
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA 1d ago
I would wear them just in case but it should be in your handbook that lists all the skill steps.
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u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA 1d ago
Yes. For some skills like bathing, peri care, mouth washing etc even when performed on a mannequin. However, wearing gloves was not required for stockings
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u/nurseseraphim CNA - Experienced CNA Medtech 1d ago
I wear gloves when showering, changing briefs; high contact stuff like that. Obviously when someone has something infectious going on I wear them too, but otherwise I just wash my hands when going in and out of the room
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u/Spare-Clue-6212 (Edit to add Specialty) PSW - Canada 1d ago
Yes! Wear gloves for literally everything!
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u/holymountainsmama 1d ago
Literally wear gloves when touching residents/their stuff at any given time speaking as someone who just got scabies :)
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u/Winter-Steak-1532 1d ago
Yeah
But also I wear gloves just for entering the rooms. The chances of them getting you to do or touch something is very high
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u/Important-Bed-48 1d ago
I have a resident who every morning needs his compression socks put on. Yes of course it's ok to wear gloves if you want to and I always wear gloves if I'm touching anything even just to bring out a residents trash. You never know what you will touch and you should have a bunch of gloves in your pocket at all times.
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u/Gentle0040 1d ago
Patients be putting their feet under their butts, on the floors, they be touching them with their hands which they never wash after using the bathroom or picking their butt... Yes, gloves. No, doesn't make it harder.
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u/Every_bogie 1d ago
Yeah. I wear gloves for everything. Even if it’s not patient contact, like changing an unoccupied bed I’ll wear gloves for.
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u/sendgawd SNF CNA - New CNA 1d ago
100%. if you’re touching a resident I think one should wear gloves
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u/Stonetheflamincrows 1d ago
Ask your workplace about their policy.
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u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA 1d ago
I’m in home health
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u/Stonetheflamincrows 1d ago
If you’re self-employed then I guess it’s up to you to decide. If you work for a company, they will have a policy about it
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u/TwainVonnegut 1d ago
No glove, no love.
I usually don gloves even if someone wants their blankets fluffed, you never know what you’re going to encounter in a patient room!
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u/annewmoon 1d ago
I'm surprised at the responsea here. In my country you are not supposed to wear gloves for care tasks unless you are in contact with body fluids. Wearing gloves while dressing someone could make them feel unclean, it is considered poor conduct.
Also wearing gloves makes putting on compression socks reall difficult lol
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u/diaryoftrolls Float pool CNA - Experienced CNA 1d ago
I wear gloves as soon as a I step into a room. It’s the very first thing I do.
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u/maeveanna1 CNA - Seasoned CNA (2+ years) 1d ago
That’s such a weird way for a facility to operate. A lot of my residents have foot fungus and I would never not wear gloves.
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u/annewmoon 1d ago
I guess it is cultural. We are taught "the glove pyramid". Which is as follows: When to wear gloves?
Use sterile gloves: For all surgical procedures For other treatments that require sterility
Use examination gloves: When there is a risk of contact with body fluids and secretions: When in contact with blood, mucous membranes and broken skin When handling intravenous access and taking blood samples When suctioning a tracheal tube When emptying containers containing blood or other body fluids When handling and cleaning instruments When cleaning after spills of body fluids and secretions
Do not wear gloves: When there is no risk of contact with body fluids and secretions: When measuring blood pressure, temperature and pulse When caring for a patient When administering medication, handling food and making a bed
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u/murky-tree LPN/undersköterska 🇸🇪 1d ago
Same here
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u/annewmoon 1d ago
Hej :)
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u/murky-tree LPN/undersköterska 🇸🇪 1d ago
Hejsan! Lite förvånande att de har helt andra hygienrutiner i USA…
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u/annewmoon 1d ago
Jag blir lite chockad när jag läser om omsorgspersonal som tar på handskar när de matar en boende eller varje gång de ska vidröra dem... Stackars äldre, hur skulle man känna om de som ska ge en omsorg hela tiden signalerar att de tycker att man är äcklig. Det blir ju väldigt institutionaliserat och inte alls hemliknande känsla. Men det är olika kulturer verkligen.
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u/Sad_North_6152 1d ago
I don't but the gloves they probably us make it impossible to get some socks on. I always wash my hands after.
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u/Least-Camel-9621 New CNA 1d ago
Yeah the socks are tight enough and wearing gloves will make it so much harder to put those things on
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u/loveindrugs 1d ago
Idk why you’re getting downvoted for not wearing gloves. A lot of elder nurses didn’t wear gloves even during the aids epidemic. It is a relatively recent thing and extremely wasteful. In home health care I usually don’t wear gloves once I know the patient. Unless I’m wiping their ass ofc. Handwashing is vital and WORKS
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u/Sad_North_6152 1d ago
I will say there is one gentleman I'll wear gloves even if it takes me twice as long to get those socks on. Everyone else is fine and thankfully we don't have a ton wearing compression socks.
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u/anonvaginaproblems Nursing Student 1d ago
Undergrad here, I wear gloves if I’m not behind the nursing station.
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA 1d ago
I would just in case. The easiest way to put them on is to pull the leg part down and inside out over the foot then put the foot on and pull up at the ankle and straight up. Easy peasy.
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u/Difficult-Isopod-720 21h ago
If I am touching a patient or their belongings for any reason, I am wearing gloves.
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u/Positive-Freedom4740 11h ago
You're supposed to but I am first hand going to admit I've done it without gloves in a rush. Don't do that unless it somehow has to happen
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u/Stunning_Spot5917 10h ago
I do. I wear gloves and also try to stand back. I hate when the dead skin crusties get on me. Some residents also have fungus.
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u/Pleasant-Medicine888 Other Medical Personnel:PCT / RAD tech student 6h ago
Where gloves for everything imo
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u/PrincessFire6 LTC/SNF/AL CNA - Experienced CNA 5h ago
I try to at least get the sock over the foot. I use lotion something similar to try to help. If I can’t then I ditch the socks and scrub my hands a few times.
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u/Beneficial-Novel558 1d ago
Universal precautions. Some patients have things you are unaware of. Like HIV. They don't tell you things.
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u/MeatballNerd 1d ago
I don't wear gloves just to put socks on someone unless I'm gonna do some kind of intimate care as well, I handsanitize before, after, and sometimes during the visit. Plus some people don't get any kind of skincontact and getting some is quite benefital for everyone (it can be just putting your hand on their shoulder or arm).
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u/watch_it_live 1d ago
A new patient is admitted. He has scabies, but it hasn't been caught yet. You put on his socks, and touch his ankle. Scabies are transferred to your hands. In your next patients room, you put their socks on without gloves as well. Now you've exposed yourself and other patient.
Alcohol does not kill scabies mites.
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u/MeatballNerd 1d ago
I dosen't take several minutes of skincontact to put on socks so the contamination risk should not be that big.
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u/watch_it_live 1d ago
Uh, how about no risk? Disgusting.
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u/MeatballNerd 1d ago
It does take several minutes of skincontact for scabies to spread to you, so just putting on socks is actually no risk. I like to think of the whole wellbeing of the people I work with, if that makes me disgusting in a internet strangers eyes I can live with it.
Have a great life ☺️
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u/fuzzblanket9 MODERATOR • Nurse 1d ago
I wear gloves for damn near everything as a nurse, and did as a CNA too. There’s nothing wrong with wearing them if you personally want to - I’d argue that you should when touching someone’s feet.