Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 14 of 14

Thread: To Bathe or not to bathe

  1. #11
    Super Moderator cougarnurse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Parked in front of the computer when I am not working
    Posts
    12,364

    Re: To Bathe or not to bathe

    Sometimes ya gotta use what's available, eh? I do like using soap/water/linen. but.....there are the occasional patients who just can't get to the shower. Just encountered one a few weeks ago.

  2. #12

    Re: To Bathe or not to bathe

    I worked CV-ICU for 34 years and LOVED bathing my patients! I'd use 8-10 wash cloths, 4 towels, and 1 or 2 basins of water (3 if needed) and even would soak their stinky feet and hands if they were long term-ers with the cheesy callouses flaking and sweating off. I'd even wash their hair if they needed it either physically or psychologically (the women especially).

    I always felt that if they got a good bath and smelled better, they would also feel better and their families would be less stressed for me. It usually worked too. They had clean, dry, tight bottom sheets and clean crisp top sheets and I'd try to find the nicest gowns for my pts. too.

    So, I was hospitalized myself in January in my old hospital for 10 days. Granted, I wasn't in ICU, but I was sick enough I couldn't move by myself for 3 days. I wasn't offered either a bath or a bed change during that time! I had 2 freshly made beds in all of that time: once when my room was changed from one unit to another; and once when I was well enough to get up and change it myself.

  3. #13

    Re: To Bathe or not to bathe

    My facility is doing research to reduce MRSA. So instead of testing for MRSA in the nares and placing everyone in contact we bathe everyone with chlorhexidine wipes and do bacroban to BL nares BID. It is annoying because I always pro soap water washcloths... a REAL bath. However, with the CHG, I have noticed there is actually less stench... except in Neuro TBI patients. I believe this is attributed to the bacteria on the skin being killed. We are however allowed to bath with soap and water but we have let them dry and then use the chlorhexidine wipes. Is anyone else's facility in this study? It is direct from CDC.


    I am a nightshifter myself, and I always bathe both of my patients regardless but here is my thought from when I was on dayshift:


    night shift doesn't have to be the only one to give baths. this is continuous care people 24/7. We all know that sometimes, there are sick patients, codes, addmissions, etc. And in trauma, most admissions occur after 10 pm. Of course vented and confused should be at night but things happen. Don't gripe get over it is our jobs to be continuous in the patients care.

  4. #14
    Member Extraordinaire hppygr8ful's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,273

    Talking Re: To Bathe or not to bathe

    Just weighing in here - I also preferred to give a soap and water bath whenever it was possible. I remember one hosiptal I worked for that actually forbid soap and water baths in favor of the ready bath saying it was better, less skin breakdown etc, etc bla bla bla......

    I think a good point is also made here by those male nurses who have weighed in . I know many fine hard working male and female nurses - your sex has nothing to do with your caring or nursing ability - I think the original story told here went something like "the nurse before me was one of those male nurses......" It was obviously said in an inflamatory way - We all know lazy nurses we see them in both sexes - lets not pick on the guys or they might start calling us one of those female nurses who sleep with doctors and spend all shift gossiping and doing our make-up"

    Remember the first nurses in history in Rome and Greece were men.

    Peace and Namaste

    Hppy

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •