As a nurse, your hands are your best asset. They soothe, mend, and execute hundreds of critical duties over the course of your shift. But from repeated hand washing, alcohol sanitizer, and glove wear, your hands can get hammered.
Dry, cracked skin is not only painful—it can hinder your capacity to tend to patients and even raise your risk for infection. That's why effective hand care is not a luxury but a professional necessity.
Sealing the hands, often with a good cream, is the most popular way to alleviate dryness from frequent handwashing. According to an article published in VUMC News, in regards to treating dry cracked nursing hands:
“The single most important step preventing problems in the first place or to repair damaged skin is to ‘plug the leaks’; you must seal the skin to keep damaging chemicals, soap and bacteria out and replenish your natural oil barrier.”
If your hands feel like sandpaper by the end of the week, you’re not alone. We’ve compiled a list of 10 fun, effective, and totally doable ways to soothe and protect your nursing hands. Grab your favorite nurse bag or backpack, toss in some supplies, and show your hands a little TLC!
1. Choose the best hand cream for cracked skin
All hand creams are not created equal. The best hand cream for cracked skin has to be rich, fragrance free, and filled with ceramides, glycerin, shea butter, or urea. These create a protective seal that traps in moisture and fixes damaged skin. "Hand cream for cracked skin" or "intensive hand cream for cracks" has to be on the package—it's not some marketing slogan, it's business.
Use liberally after hand washing and at bedtime. Keep a travel-sized tube with you in your day nurse accessory kit so you never end up without it. You can even keep a spare tube in your vehicle or in your workspace so you're always prepared to moisturize while traveling. For more personal favorites, check out this nurse forum thread on the best creams for dry cracked nursing hands.
2. Layer cream prior to gloving up
First, apply a thin layer of your favorite hand cream for dry, cracked hands before putting on gloves. This traps moisture in and shields your skin from glove surfaces.
Bonus: it keeps your skin from becoming irritated with latex or powdered gloves as well.
Pro tip: Use powder-free gloves made of nitrile or vinyl if you're allergic to latex. Your hands will thank you.
3. Hydrate from the inside out
Skin health is more than what you put on the outside. Staying hydrated keeps your skin cells full and flexible. Research indicates that “drinking a lot of water positively impacts normal skin physiology, especially in dermatological (age-preventing) terms.”
Keep a refillable water bottle in your locker or backpack and sip throughout the day. Staying hydrated also keeps your energy up during those long shifts—a double bonus.
Try setting a reminder on your phone or smartwatch to take hydration breaks. Hydration is especially important if you’re working night shifts or high-intensity PRN jobs.
4. Nightly hand mask = self-care gold
After a long workday, treat your hands to a night spa. Gently slather on a rich healing cream for cracked hands or a dermatologist-recommended hand cream, and then slip on cotton gloves.
As you watch your favorite show or get some well-earned rest, your hands will soak up the moisture. For other relaxation tips, see these nurse self-care hacks.
Add a few drops of lavender or chamomile essential oil to your hand cream before putting on your gloves. The calming scent will ease you into the morning, and your hands will be generously moisturized by the time morning comes.
5. Switch to gentler hand hygiene
Nurses wash their hands more in a shift than most individuals do in a week. All that rubbing strips your skin of its natural oils. Use pH-balanced soaps and alcohol-based hand sanitizers with added moisturizers.
Learn more about safe and smart hand hygiene in this World Hand Hygiene Day spotlight.
Also, consider using barrier creams before your shift. These create a protective layer on the skin, reducing the impact of repeated washing and sanitizing. Add this to a good emollient cream for hands or repair cream for dry hands for extra protection.
6. Avoid using hot water
Hot water might feel comfortable, but it really dries your skin out faster than warm water. Use warm temperatures when washing your hands and blot softly with a gentle towel rather than rubbing. Your skin will appreciate it.
If your job allows it, use foam cleansers rather than gel or liquid soap. Foams dry less and are quicker to rinse off without hot water.
7. Keep a hand care kit in your locker
Be ready. Stock a mini hand care survival kit with a travel-sized top-rated hand cream, cotton gloves, bandages (for sore cracks), and cuticle oil. Place it in your scrubs pocket or backpack and be ready for any hand emergency.
Throw in some soothing wipes, nail clippers, and even a little jar of coconut oil or cocoa butter for cracked hands. That way, you’re equipped for any situation from painful paper cuts to surprise hangnails.
8. Protect your nails and cuticles
Dry hands usually mean dry nails and cuticles, too. Use a nourishing oil or balm on your cuticles to prevent hangnails and splitting. Healthy cuticles act as a barrier to germs—important when you’re working with patients all day.
Consider using a cuticle pusher to gently keep your nail beds tidy and applying a nail strengthener once a week. Your hands will not only feel better—they’ll look polished and professional, too.
9. Let your gloves rest
If possible, take brief periods without gloves throughout your shift to give your hands a chance to "breathe." Wearing gloves too long traps heat and moisture, irritating your skin and causing breakouts. Take this downtime to reapply hydrating hand cream and move your fingers.
Even just a couple of minutes here and there makes a difference. Shake your fingers out, rub down your fingers quickly, and breathe. A small mindfulness break in the middle of your shift.
10. Dress in style and comfort while caring
Comfort affects your mood, and when you feel good, you look after yourself and your patients better. Treat yourself to top-recommended nursing shoes, cozy scrubs, or even fun finds from this nurse gift guide.
And don't neglect to wash your gear on a regular basis. A good pair of shoes, a durable stethoscope, and a reliable backpack can make your shift more comfortable and your routine self-care that little bit better.
Why are hydrated hands are important
Dry, cracked hands are a nuisance. They can:
- Harbor bacteria in open wounds
- Make it uncomfortable to perform simple tasks.
- Lead to skin infections
- Reduce your dexterity
Taking care of healthy hands is an important part of nurse self-care. It keeps you and your patients safe. And when your hands are healthy, you can work more comfortably and with more confidence.
Want to meet other nurses who get it? Talk to coworkers and share tips for the best cracked skin hand lotion and moisturizers for nurses in this community.
Tend your hands as you tend your patients
You wouldn't force your patient to suffer pain or discomfort if it's possible to avoid it. Do the same for yourself. Taking care of yourself makes you a better nurse.
Need a justification to spoil yourself with a new fast-acting cream for cracked skin? Consider it an investment in your career longevity. Caring for your hands—and yourself—isn't selfish. It's intelligent, strategic, and vital.
Ready to put your hands to work and keep them healthy? Download the Nursa app to start owning your nursing career—one shift (and one hand cream) at a time.
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