By earning your nurse practitioner doctorate degree at Bradley University you have set yourself up for a very rewarding and exciting career path. However, with that said if you plan on working in a clinic or hospital setting you are in for some tough working conditions when it comes to your skin.
These environments tend to be very drying on their own, never mind the fact you’ll be washing and disinfecting your hands pretty often. It won’t take long before your skin starts to react in a rather negative way. Dry, cracked, breaking, chapped skin is unsightly, sore, and poses a health risk to you and your patients.
Not to worry as we’ve put together the top skincare tips that you can use as a nurse that will help to keep your skin soft, smooth, and looking great throughout your career.
Dry Cracked Hands
One of the most common things that nurses will complain of when it comes to skin issues is dry cracked hands. Not only does it look bad, it’s also very uncomfortable. You are working with your hands all day long as you assist patients, so you can’t be worrying about cracked and breaking skin. On top of the pain it causes, it can also pose a health risk to you and the patients. So what can you do?
While there is no way to avoid the constant hand washing and disinfecting that is required of you, you can do your best to put the moisture back in. Be sure to apply Vaseline to your hands at night and sleep with it on. Apply a nice generous layer and don’t rub it in too much. It won’t take long before you start to see results. If you don’t want to use Vaseline, you can look for a heavy cream or balm that will offer an extra boost of moisture.
If allowed at your workplace you may wish to carry a small travel sized bottle of moisturizer in your pocket so you can apply it throughout the day.
Patchy Dry Skin on the Face
Just as your hands suffer from the dry environment, so can your face. Now you won’t have to worry about it cracking and breaking, but it can start to get patchy and flaky. The great news is that there are all kinds of ways you can fight dry skin on your face, so it’s a matter of finding the combo that works best for you.
It’s important to start with keeping your body hydrated, this means drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Using a good quality day and night cream or ointment that fits your skin type is also important. Even if you aren’t big on makeup you may want to look at the variety of moisturizing primers and BB creams meant to help with hydration. Another trend right now is facial oils that you can apply before bed or in the morning as a primer.
The Tricks of the Trade
Your doctor of nurse practitioner programs have trained you well as you set out and enter the field of nursing, but being aware of the tricks of the trade is also important.