Disgusted - wipes for bathing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

At my facility, on my floor, we are to use the bath wipes for bathing out patients. We are instructed that using a basin with water & soap creates an unnecessary infection risk. The patients are not getting clean with bath wipes. I am a firm believer in soap and water to wash up. One of the aides complained to our manager that I was asking her to actually clean our patients, rather than hand them the wipes and leave them. My issue with her is really irrelevant, it doesn't matter which method, she is not going to put forth the effort to assist anyone with anything. I wish I had a patient load that allowed me time to help bath the patients. Patients need help reaching places they can't get regardless of wipes or clothes. But I talked the to the manager about my dislike for the wipes, and she said they are fine because people are not expecting to be really clean while in the hospital. It will have to do.

What do you all think about the wipes? I think in a pinch they would be ok if you were helping someone with them, but if someone is in the hospital for days at a time, they need to actually wash up! Nothing worse than seeing "bedbath complete" when the patient is still stinky.

Maybe someone should invent those wash-your-pet machines, but for humans.

Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

I love the wipe idea How clean do you think those damp basins that get used every day are? not very.... and *gasp* the wipes DO make it easier for people who need to bath multiple patients.

Specializes in General Surgery.

There are some very good points being made! I do remember hearing about the basins being an infection control risk but when I have to give a bed bath, I just grab new supplies. I have no idea what the previous basin had been used for.

I am on 'Team Wipes' but only because like some have pointed out, the linens are not of great quality, at least at our hospital they aren't. They feel like 50 grit sandpaper even when soapy. I found this out when I was bathing an elderly, bed bound gentleman. When I turned him on his side and did his posterior, the washcloth just dragged his frail, paperthin skin around :( I was trying to clean the funk off of him but be gentle at the same time. I felt like I wasn't getting him clean enough and possibly causing him harm. I placed him back, covered him up and went to the utility room to warm up several packages of wipes. As others have pointed out, the wipes we have are as big as the washcloths and just as sturdy, but are thicker and softer! Most of the rooms in our hospital are private w/ showers. When I came back, I used the pump soap on the wall in the shower (love the smell of it) and got it bubbly with some nice, warm water. Then I immersed the warm wipes in the basin and away I went! That's usually how I do it and it's nice because I can just throw away the wipes as I go, no double dipping or worrying about contaminating the water. The patient's daughter, who was an out-of-state ICU nurse, profusely thanked me up and down because no one had given him a bath in four days!

As for the "walkie talkie" patients, I make sure they're ok to be off tele, set them up with their supplies for a shower, cover up their IV or PICC, and let them have at it.

In our acute rehab facility and in our long term vent floor, we have those shower gurneys with a shower room. Patients are usually on a shower schedule so they eventually all get a nice, complete shower.

I will say that I would NOT rely on just the wipes alone for head to toe bathing. I use them by themselves when for instance, I am cleaning up an incontinent patient.

I love the wipe idea How clean do you think those damp basins that get used every day are? not very.... and *gasp* the wipes DO make it easier for people who need to bath multiple patients.
But who's reusing basins? That's just gross. I throw the basin away after the bath and grab a new one each time. As others have pointed out they cost, like, 25 cents.
Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Wet wipes are nice for freshening up. I used to work at a hospital that had a wet wipe warmer which was great...we don't have that where I work now. We also had a shower cap that you would microwave to get warm...it had no-rinse shampoo in it so all you had to do was put the cap on the patient's head, massage, take it off and they have clean hair! But again, not all facilities are equal...we don't have that where I work, either.

I'm also a firm believer in soap, water & towels. And throw away that basin! :eek:

My hospital does not stock ANY basins. If you want to give a bath, you must use wipes. Our linen cart doesn't event have wash rags, just full sized towels. (WHY?!?).

When I started, I would be in supply room forever looking for them. Oh well.

To the Orignal poster, I couldnt agree more. I will even go further and have said that bed baths with a basin are not even enough to keep a patient clean enough to smell fresh long term. There is no subsitute for clean running water (shower).

Maybe someone should invent those wash-your-pet machines, but for humans.

There is already a wide variety of various showers and or baths for all but the most bed bound patients. Problem is staffing to get the job done safely and of course having the things installed in the first place.

The "private room" craze is creating some interesting suites for patients and or their families, but from what one has seen quite allot of that goes for those whom are able to get up (perhaps with some assistance) and use the things.

Am really going to show my age here, does anyone remember rubber bed sheets? You could put them under a patient before doing a bed bath to prevent getting the bed/linen soaked. When finished you removed them (along with the soiled linen) when making the "occupied" bed.

There was also a way of folding them to use for washing patient's hair whilst they were in bed, you folded the thing in such a way water drained off the side of the bed and into a container.

Specializes in med-surg,sa,breast & cervical ca.

Yes! I remember that!

Specializes in General Surgery.
Am really going to show my age here, does anyone remember rubber bed sheets? You could put them under a patient before doing a bed bath to prevent getting the bed/linen soaked. When finished you removed them (along with the soiled linen) when making the "occupied" bed.

There was also a way of folding them to use for washing patient's hair whilst they were in bed, you folded the thing in such a way water drained off the side of the bed and into a container.

They should bring those back, I'd use them on my patients!

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