In the fight to prevent the spread of superbugs within hospitals and other healthcare establishments, Scottish nurses are developing a painful skin condition, Nursing Times.net reports.

While a strict handwashing policy, dictating that nurses should wash their hands between tasks and patients has been successful in reducing the occurrence of "hospital acquired infections," such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile, it has led to an "unintended consequence."

Repeated handwashing is causing many nurses in Scotland to suffer with contact dermatitis, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), who said that reported cases had significantly increased of late, those with nurse manager jobs may be interested to hear.

Wearing latex gloves, using alcohol gel and washing hands with strong detergents causes the condition.

At Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, nurses were so badly affected that their duties had to be restricted while their skin could recover.

In response, the RCN is developing guidance on how to prevent dermatitis, which is likely to be published next year.

Commenting on the news, RCN associate director Ellen Hudson told news.scotsman.com: "It is particularly important that action to avoid dermatitis is made in healthcare.

"If a nurse or other member of staff can't wash their hands or use hand gel because they are too sore due to dermatitis, then they can no longer carry out clinical work. It can even become a career-limiting condition."