Daily Living with RVNAhealth offers glimpses into the daily and household processes of RVNAhealth clinical team members during the coronavirus. While many of us were unprepared for the level of caution and circumspection the virus would introduce into our daily lives, our nurses and clinicians were clearly ready to go. Their education, steeped in the practices, repetition and criticality of infection control, gave them a head start. Please enjoy and learn a thing or two, but don’t be daunted. Not even the CDC can keep up with these experts.
A Trip to the Market with the Chief Clinical Officer
By Keri Linardi, RN, BSN, PHN, CHPCA
Do you bring your own bags or use the store bags? Some markets in Connecticut do not allow you to bring your own bags so it depends on where I am going.
Do you wear gloves in the market? I do not wear gloves. Gloves are a one-time use item and bring higher risk of cross contamination.
Do you sanitize before entering? I sanitize the cart with a wipe, not just the handle but the top parts around the cart too that people touch and pull, along with the seat, then I sanitize my hands with hand sanitizer.
Do you wear a mask? Yes I do
What ‘supplies’ do you bring with you? I have a Ziploc bag that has hand sanitizer (usually 2 small bottles), 1 bag of cleaning wipes and 1 empty Ziploc bag, my “dirty” bag. I leave this bag unzipped in my pocketbook in the shopping cart so I can easily access it at check out.
Any tips while strolling the aisles? Maintain your 6 feet social distancing and don’t forget to smile at people. This this has been hard and people are on edge right now, but kindness can be felt even through your mask.
Tell us about your check out process … I load the groceries on the belt. Then I politely ask the cashier to remove their gloves and use hand sanitizer on their hands. The problem with gloves is that they aren’t necessarily clean. They’ve touched everything in sight, so I don’t want them touching my groceries! Once the cashier sanitizes their hands, I know my groceries are OK. At this point, I usually explain that I work in health care and explain the issue with gloves. They listen politely, but possibly think I’m crazy.
Do you pack your own bags? Each store is different. Some allow me to pack my own bags, others do not. If there is a bagger working, I repeat my glove and sanitizing request.
What about payment? This is where my trusty bag comes in handy. I sanitize my hands first. Then I reach for my wallet and my credit card to pay. If the credit machine is “touchless,” that’s perfect! My millennial children taught me how to set my card up to operate with a touchless system. If it is not, then I use a cleansing wipe and clean off the credit card machine before I put my card in and touch the machine. Afterward, I place the wipe in my dirty bag and sanitize my hands, and remove my card.
It all sounds harder than it is, but it’s worth it because I know I am leaving the store with ‘clean’ groceries. I don’t clean them when I unpack them, I just follow my normal processes of washing food, and cans before using. 🙂
Ready for more tips?
with Keri Linardi
(Chief Clinical Officer)