Wellness

[Bubby Mommy]

I'm having surgery soon.  In the past the nurses made me remove my nail polish prior to the procedure.  Other times the nurses didn't seem to have a problem with it.  What gives?  I asked my surgeon and he told me he didn't have a problem with it, but to check with the nurses(??).  My nails are short and I only have a sheer, barely there polish on my nails.  You wouldn't even notice it unless you are looking for it.  I feel clean when my nails are properly groomed so I would like to keep the sheer polish on. 

[Somertime]

The device they clip onto your finger measures the oxygen levels in you, sometimes the nail polish will interfere and not give an accurate reading.  It is a cautionary measure.

[OR Director]

if your surgery involves anesthesia, they will probably want you to remove at least the polish from your 2 index fingers. If a pulse ox is used to monitor your oxygen saturation , it works best if the nail is free from any type of polish. If you are only having local anesthesia done by the surgeon, you should not have to remove any. Every facility is different so best to check before hand. 

[Shelbelle]

I was told fine to use a light color polish during surgery

[Janey2]

@Bubby Mommy  With all due respect you are having surgery and this is what you are concerned with?

[On It]

I would remove it at home before reporting to the hospital. Anything that might interfere with your care in the surgical area is not worth chancing.

Back in the day (way back), I was told they needed to see the color of the nail beds. We did not have the little clip-on blood oxygen gizmo. Guess what? That thing misreads my level some of the time. It could never read my mother's.

Removing polish is a small concession to make in order to have a successful hospital outcome.

[Shelbelle]

---

@Janey2 wrote:

@Bubby Mommy  With all due respect you are having surgery and this is what you are concerned with?

---

Why not, if you wear polish 24/7 you need to know if it needs to be removed. 

[simplyfriends]

@Bubby Mommy    Like others have said the acrylic nails and nail polish can accept the accuracy of your pulse ox measurement. For the most accurate reading you should remove it. The MD office that I worked at also told women not to wear makeup but some couldn't bear to go without it.  Some are stricter than others.  It's amazing what people will sue over. 

edited to add:  I'm talking about surgery with general anesthesia 

[Shelbelle]

When I had my knee surgery, I wore full makeup and nails were done in a light polish. For cataracts, no makeup but nails done

[arizona babe]

@Shelbelle In all due respect and I being an RN, why are you concerned what your face looks like while in surgery and for a knee no less- no one in the operating room cares-their only concern is a safe surgery and that includes to be natural, no nail polish, no fake nails, no jewelry- your health is very important so a few hours without makeup just really doesn't matter- hope your surgery was a success