Doctors and nurses are just as guilty as other staff. Doctors rarely clean their stethoscope after each patient. Nurses apply blood pressure cuffs to patient after patient without cleaning the cuff. Doctors often put on gloves without washing their hands first. As a result, the germs on their hands are transferred to the outside of the gloves.
Consumer groups warn patients that they must demand cleanliness. If they see or suspect unsanitary conditions, they must tell someone immediately. It could be a matter of life or death. But, as one patient said, "No way! You don't tell your boss that he has bad breath, and you don't tell your doctor that he needs to wash his hands.