{"id":2349,"date":"2021-09-20T00:42:44","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T00:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/?p=2349"},"modified":"2022-01-22T04:10:59","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T04:10:59","slug":"are-nurses-allowed-to-wear-wristwatches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/are-nurses-allowed-to-wear-wristwatches\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Nurses Allowed To Wear Wristwatches?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"boldgrid-section\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12 col-xs-12 col-sm-12\">\n<p class=\"\">Now you can listen to this article!<\/p>\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"Are Nurses Allowed To Wear Wristwatches?!\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3rd_qV303I8?start=34&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses have traditionally never worn wristwatches due to hygiene reasons. Instead, they have worn <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.collinsdictionary.com\/dictionary\/english\/fob-watch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fob watches<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> attached to their uniforms. But can they wear <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/why-are-watches-called-watches\/\">smartwatches<\/a> or other types of watches?<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><b>Typically, nurses aren\u2019t allowed to wear regular wristwatches, but many medical facilities now allow nurses to wear <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smartwatch\"><b>smartwatches<\/b><\/a><b>. That\u2019s because smartwatches can immensely help with their job performance. Today, many nurses continue to attach their <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/why-are-new-watches-always-set-to-10-10\/\">watches<\/a> to their uniforms using a fob strap.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s difficult to make a general statement on whether or not nurses can wear wristwatches, and this article will discuss the issue deeper. Keep reading to learn more. If you are a nurse, it&#8217;s important that you consult your supervisor or employer for clarification on the rules in your workplace.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Some Medical Facilities Allow Smartwatches<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to showing the time, smartwatches have other beneficial features that enhance the wearer\u2019s life. The advent of smartwatches has caused many medical facilities to adjust their stance on nurses wearing wristwatches.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some medical facilities believe that wearing smartwatches give several <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/benefits-of-wearing-a-watch\/\">benefits<\/a>. Let\u2019s discuss them now.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses Can Use Them To Cope With Medication Schedule<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An essential job for a nurse is dispensing medicines to patients at the correct times. It can be difficult to keep up with each patient\u2019s medication schedule when working in a busy ward.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A smartwatch has a reminder feature that nurses can use, and the smartwatch will vibrate or make an alerting sound when the patient needs a dose of medicine. This eliminates constantly having to check paper notes or potentially forgetting to give a patient their medication.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches Can Act as a Hands-Free Smart Assistant<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses have multi-faceted and hands-on roles, and they often face challenges that require immediate solutions. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches offer <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifewire.com\/virtual-assistants-4138533\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hands-free smart assistants<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">such as Siri or Google Assistant<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) to answer practical questions and provide helpful information immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses are typically the first port of call for patients, and they may sometimes ask complicated questions. Should the nurse be unable to answer the question, the smart assistant can instantly help.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches Offer Special Apps for Nurses<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses have busy and stressful jobs, and continuously wearing a smartwatch can help them manage their time and mental health more effectively. Most smartwatches have a meditation or breathing function that prompts the wearer to breathe deeply for a couple of minutes, helping them feel calmer and more in control.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other useful applications include medical dictionaries, drug databases, and even alerts to prompt the nurse to drink enough water.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches Can Inform Nurses About Important Notifications<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most nurses can\u2019t have their cell phones with them when working, and they can often miss out on important messages and notifications from family and friends. <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/why-smartwatches-are-expensive\/\">Smartwatches<\/a> display incoming emails, text messages, and chat messages as long as they\u2019re within range of the smartphone.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can help the nurse remain aware of what\u2019s happening at home or with loved ones while at work without putting patients in danger.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches Can Act as Stopwatches<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches contain stopwatches, making them incredibly useful to nurses.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses regularly need to monitor vital signs, including measuring a patient\u2019s heart rate for one minute. The timer is also useful when the nurse needs to hold a drip for a certain time or for how long it should run.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses Can Use Smartwatches as Calculators<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nurses sometimes need to calculate the flow of a drip and work out divided medication doses.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of searching for a calculator or one\u2019s cell phone, which isn\u2019t generally allowed on the ward, a nurse can use the calculator function on the smartwatch. Not only is this much faster, but it\u2019s far more convenient.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatches Allow Better Communication With Foreign Patients<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a patient doesn\u2019t understand the local language and no one in the hospital can speak their language, treatment can be tricky and dangerous.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many smartwatches have a machine translation function that can help significantly in these situations. By asking the smart assistant to translate a sentence into a foreign language, communication is much easier.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrist Watches Aren\u2019t Permitted in Certain Nursing Specialities<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hospitals and clinics in many countries require nurses to be bare below the elbows to prevent the spread of infection. Although wristwatches can be sterilized, it isn\u2019t easy to do so. Wristwatches contain <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/should-a-watch-leave-an-imprint-on-your-skin\/\">tight<\/a> spaces in which viruses, bacteria, and fungi can enter.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s now talk about the medical specialties that don\u2019t allow nurses to wear wristwatches at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surgery<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operating room nurses need to sterilize their arms and hands thoroughly to assist in surgery to prevent the patient from getting an infection. The surgical field must remain sterile at all times and, even if the nurse wears sterile gloves over the wristwatch, there is still a risk of cross-infection.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychiatry<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Psychiatric nurses often work with patients who are angry, physically violent, and confused.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When seriously ill, such patients sometimes need to be restrained by the psychiatric nurse. If the nurse is wearing a wristwatch while trying to restrain a patient, the patient could easily rip it off and cause injury to themselves or others.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geriatrics<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geriatric nurses work with the elderly, and their work is very hands-on.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Older adults requiring the help of geriatric nurses are often frail and need help getting out of bed, out of a chair, eating, brushing their teeth, and washing. Elderly folks also have thinning skin, making them prone to cuts and scratches.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy for a nurse to injure the elderly patient inadvertently while performing their duties.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Smartwatch Fobs are the Perfect Compromise&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A limited number of medical facilities worldwide allow their nurses to wear smartwatches, but many still require nurses to be bare below the elbows due to hygiene reasons. Smartwatches are incredibly convenient as they allow nurses to use a calculator, receive important messages, set reminders, track vital signs and use nurse-related apps.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the nurse has a smartwatch, they can buy a fob <a href=\"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/how-to-choose-the-perfect-watch-strap-complete-guide\/\">strap<\/a> and still use all the convenient features of a smartwatch.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most medical facilities still don\u2019t allow nurses to wear wristwatches due to the risk of cross-infection.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, with the many benefits of smartwatches for nurses, nursing authorities have taken note. As a result, some nursing boards allow nurses to wear smartwatches as long as they\u2019re attached to the uniform with a fob strap.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Very few facilities allow nurses to wear wristwatches, and it often depends on the clinic\u2019s view regarding the matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">For nurses, remember to consult your employer before acting on any information in this article, and find out what the rules are in your workplace!&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestudentroom.co.uk\/showthread.php?t=1553256\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Student Room: New Rules on Nurses Watches?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/normalnurselife.com\/can-nurses-wear-apple-watches\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Normal Nurse Life: Can Nurses Wear Apple Watches or Not?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.collinsdictionary.com\/dictionary\/english\/fob-watch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collins Dictionary: Fob Watch<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Smartwatch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wikipedia: Smartwatch<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifewire.com\/virtual-assistants-4138533\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lifewire: What is a Virtual Assistant and How Does It Work?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Now you can listen to this article! &nbsp; Nurses have traditionally never worn wristwatches due to hygiene reasons. Instead, they have worn fob watches attached to their uniforms. But can they wear smartwatches or other types of watches? Typically, nurses aren\u2019t allowed to wear regular wristwatches, but many medical facilities now allow nurses to wear [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2352,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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Highfield","author_link":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/author\/exceptionaltiming_fzy3cb\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Now you can listen to this article! &nbsp; Nurses have traditionally never worn wristwatches due to hygiene reasons. Instead, they have worn fob watches attached to their uniforms. But can they wear smartwatches or other types of watches? Typically, nurses aren\u2019t allowed to wear regular wristwatches, but many medical facilities now allow nurses to wear&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2349"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4524,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2349\/revisions\/4524"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exceptionaltiming.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}