Emptying linen and garbage bags. ..part of a Nurses jobs description?

DoGoodThenGo · Apr 7, 2011

Well ...... umm
How about the other professional staff ? Do they have to get stuck in and clean too - or is it a given that nurses shouldn't expect enough assistance from housekeeping. After all they are nurses and wont mind doing the trash and cleaning. Other professionals can have all the housekeeping they need to allow them to focus on their primary roles and no-one will argue that. No-one is going to tell the PT or OT or doctor or SW that they are being too snooty because they don't want to do the work of housekeeping. The others are concerned with p't safety too.
Honestly sometimes wonder if we are still hampered with the gender thing in nursing - womens work and all that
Womens work is never done ....and that includes the work of others

Don't think it is a gender thing per se, just that house-keeping staff by and large have evolved into their own hierarchy often with own union representation. Usually but not always the later does not cover the nursing staff, but this can vary by facility. This is not new by any means. Have read accounts of then floor/unit nurses from as far back as the 1950's whom were "spoken to" by their superiours for "interfering" with the house-keeping staff's functions. What did they do? Something as little as ask for something to be cleaned up.

Historically before modern hospitals (and perhaps in some areas long afterwards), what did not fall under medicine was often handled by or at least supervised by nurses, if not by the DON. Will give you that since nursing is or was mostly made up of women, while doctors were mainly men, is easy to see how "women's work" would land at the feet of the former. Being as that may have also read accounts of doctors (men) being very involved in the setting up, running and so forth of a hospital's linen.

Before central sterile supply departments came into being, guess who was responsible for materials and or equipment used in sterile proceedures? Cleaning of bed pans, emesis basins and urinals?

When I worked as a NA back in the 1980's nursing staff had no problem emptying linen bags. Rather the things were dragged to the linen chute and chucked down! They also cleaned beds and otherwise made them ready when an admit was waiting and while the room was vacated by the previous patient and the bed stripped, things had to be "washed down". Even well remember shifting entire beds (with with and without patients in them), to other rooms for various reasons. This also included all their belongings including the nightstand. We then had to move the other patient or bed and so forth often back to the now empty space.

As for house-keeping not wishing to handle linen bags containing bodily fluids, could be wrong but *think* much of that was put forth via unions or otherwise negotiated when AIDS first began hitting hospitals. No one knew at first what caused the disease nor how it was spread. Once that information became clear it probably furthered the resolve in some quarters not to go near anything of that ilk

MochaRN424, ASN · Apr 7, 2011

Well I think of it this way...If I were the patient would I want to have my garbage overflowing or have dirty linen all over the place? I feel that the way the room is kept reflects on the hospital and its staff. I take the time to clean my rooms as I am making rounds if necessary. I don't like working in filth and I realize I am not above doing a little cleaning as long as its not interfering with patient care.

studentinnursing · Apr 7, 2011

Cleaning staff are hired to empty garbages. I don't know if it is under a nurses scope of practice. I know I wasn't taught to do it in nursing school. As mentioned, most facilities I know have a "no-lifting policy" for patients.

There are lots of things we are not taught in nursing school, either because we already know (or should) or it is not in scope of practice; keeping the room therapeutic (clean, pleasant) is taught as well as infection control/standard precautions. As far as no lifting, yes most facilities have that, but all you have to do is ask for help; somebody is lifting linen bags, period, and if it's dirty or in the way, etc., it needs to be moved, period. I cannot imagine a patient falling and nobody picking them up; no-lifting is not really no lifting; a CPM machine is heavier than any garbage bag I have come across, but we lift them!

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

I can't imagine people are taught to take out the garbage in ANY school. Here is a lesson:

close or tie off garbage bag

lift carefully from receptacle

carry to chute, curb, dumpster or wherever you put full garbage bags

place a fresh bag in the receptacle

wash your hands

There will be an exam next week, be sure you know this stuff!

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

Also- if they keep the bags this stuff goes in at a reasonable size, it shouldn't be an issue at all. I've never lifted a 100lb bag of garbage before.. lol

SBJR219 · Apr 7, 2011

injure yourself? really? maybe it's just me, but i have bigger things to worry about than getting hurt dumping a linen bag.

Have you ever lifted a full linen bag?

RNAM1965 · Apr 7, 2011

Fuzzy--well said! I wish nurses I work with would stop complaining about stuff like this -- counterproductive and just drags everyone down!! LOTS of other people do "extra duties as assigned" --not just nurses! It is just how it is (or how it should be) to keep things running. ..

please use your passion towards something positive!

chevyv, BSN, RN · Apr 7, 2011

If it's full, I empty it. I have no idea if it's in my job description, just common sense.

RNAM1965 · Apr 7, 2011

Common Sense! Love it!!! Common Sense is not so common, you know!

SBJR219 · Apr 7, 2011

So I think most nurses do help cleaning staff by emptying linen and garbage bags if they are full. Especially on the night shift where there is less cleaning staff. Some even dispose of them down a chute. But what if you injure yourself while lifting these?...are you covered? Are you concerned about your own safety and refuse to do it?

Everyone chips in when needed. But you have to draw the line when it becomes a daily routine. If it's not in your job description, then it's not your job. Once you start doing it on a regular basis, it then becomes your job. Will housekeeping be asked to do a dressing change on your patient? If I am in my patient's room and there is some garbage on the floor I will pick it up. If there is a large spill that requires mopping etc., I will page housekeeping. Common sense comes into play. I will not step over garbage on the floor. And linen bags get very HEAVY! Despite what others have commented, you should watch your back.

sunluver · Apr 7, 2011

Okay so the question is what or how do you lift patients if you cannot lift a laundry/trash bag? Well the answer is easy! You can drag a bag, but you cannot drag a patient. You ask for help ANY TIME you are pulling a patient up in bed or trying to turn them unless they can help you a little bit. My advice is NEVER EVER attempt to do it alone because you can ?VERY easily hurt yourself and the patient !!! You cannot injure the laundry/trash bag !! One little injury to you or a patient can be career ending !!! Get in the habit of asking for help and notify a supervisor if you are unable to get that help !!! I have no doubt that you will get assistance because noone wants a pressure ulcer I mean NOONE !!!!! I have been a nurse for 24 years and in my younger days I was strong and stupid !!! I thought I could do anything !!!! Guess what ??? I was wrong !!!! One little lift and pull will put you out and it changes things forever !!!! Do not put yourself at risk because there is NO going back !!!! Also do not allow family members to help you lift or pull a patient because they may not use the right muscles and then they may get injured !!! You got to BE SAFE AT ALL times !!!!

DF-LPN · Apr 7, 2011

1st: I was taught in both NA class (hmmm dating myself here LOL!!) and Nursing school that you always leave your work station, unit, floor (or whatever) clean and orginized for the oncoming shift. It really irks me when I come on shift and walk into a rm, any rm, and it looks like the trash can just vomited trash all over! :madface: 2nd: As long as you use proper body mechanics you won't get hurt! Tell me something, if you dropped a papertowel, a plastic cup, or anything else, do you just leave it there for housekeeping to pick it up? Because you could hurt your back that way also!!