Bedbaths and Bedmaking

Do-over, ASN, RN · Apr 19, 2009

I have never (so far) been assigned to do only baths and beds. We are expected to do them as well as assessments, meds, treatments, etc.

To answer your question - we usually have pre-conference, get report, AM care, vitals, and assessments, meds and treatments, lunch, another assessment and vitals, then post-conference.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2009

I am all done with my first clinical round (12 weeks) - fundamentals/pharm! - just basic skills at the SNU unit

First hour - getting report and completing the nursing assessment and Preconference.

Second Hour- talk to pct assist with ADL and breakfast

Third Hour - breaks and coverage

Fourth hour- chart review - start buiding plane of care

Fifth hour- bath - (literaly taking them to the therapeutic shower)

Sixth hours- finishing adls, assisting with dressing changes or anything other then passing meds

Seventh hour- completing our pack lol, finishing our 20 page assessment care plan/ charting on pc

Eighth hours Post conference

yeah we did not save the world but we got to learn from patients, and we had a great time with them!!! we practice our basic skills, believe me or not i had to train my isolations technique, since i had twice pcts on isolation, we really had this term to become familiar with the hospital setting, to learn how to chart, adls, vitals, assessment, transportation, bedmaking shower... incontinent/ pericare...

that helped us build a base, since we are now going to go twice a week, day 1 medsurg day 2 ob clinicals! and we will now pass meds!

Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN · Apr 19, 2009

We do not start out passing meds. Sounds like you are all getting good experience. Be kind to your instructor they are responsible for you and your patients.

WeirdNurseKelly, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2009

My day goes a little something like this:

0630: we get our assigned pt

0650: i usually do my vitals because I am quick at them (have bein doing vitals for many years)

0700: safety huddle, then listen to report (i put in my 2 cents: vitals and pain)

0730: visit my patient again, pass pain meds if needed, AM care, peri/cath care, try to do assessment

0745: blood sugars and insulin injction (if rapid acting)

0800: breakfast tray, then i catch up on charting if I haven't as I go

0830: give 8 and 9 AM meds, pain assessment, remove tray, start bed bath/shower, this is where i finish my

assessment if I didn't before breakfast or start one, bed baths are great time to do assessment. CNA

will sometimes help with bedbath if I ask

0900 - 1130: i usually take a break, look at the chart, check on pt, catch up on charting, pass meds if

needed,help other students, frequent checks on pt, do assessment if assessment hasnt been done or

completed, check in with pts primary nurse, my CI, answer pts call light

1130: may pass noon meds, we have an hour before and an hour after they are due to pass them

1145: blood sugars and insulin

1200: pass meds if they haven't received them already, insulin, give lunch tray

1200 - 1315: do frequent checks on pts, pass any prn meds/pain meds, catch up on charting if needed, help

other students, talk to CI, report of to primary nurse and then we have post ward.

It doesn't always happen in this order. That is just kind of our timeline. I have been able to get in 2 assessments around breakfast time. That is my goal for the next few weeks because this term we will be responsible for 2 patients. I do any deligation I can (bed baths, blood sugars, etc.) to CNA, that is part of our time management. I always offer to help the CNA in any way I can. I also do frequent pain assessments, especially if my pt is in pain and after pain meds are given. And I am constantly checking in with my primary nurse throughout the day to see if she needs anything and to update her on the pt.

I am loving nursing school!!!

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2009

Who's the (non-US nursing student) enlightened individual who said THAT??

Absolutely13 · Apr 20, 2009

Our first clinical rotation was LTC and the skills labs were focused on basic client care at that time, so we did a lot of baths, ADL assistance and bedmaking then. I haven't done much of that since.

0630-1330 is like most of the others for me, although I have OB over the summer which will be 12 hr clinical days.

happilymarried · Apr 20, 2009

On another forum is has been stated that US nursing students have the bulk of their nursing experience making beds and doing bed baths.
As an instructor, I would never assign students just to do baths and make beds. Could you please post what your clinical day is like?
In my clinical.
First hour - getting report and completing the nursing assessment and Preconference.
Second Hour- meds and treatments
Third Hour - continue with meds , treatments, chart review
Fourth hour- dinner breaks and coverage
Fifth hour- pm care and more medications treatment
Sixth hours- charting medications
Seventh hour- winding down, completing the above
Eighth hours Post conference
Not too much time for bed baths and bedmaking.

I am finishing my second semester and our clinical days are very much like what you describe. There are times when the floor is slow or the floor is short a tech and we will help out with bed baths, etc. Also, we are expected to do complete care for the two clients we are each assigned.

I have been very fortunate to work with some great nurses and techs this semester. I am always willing to jump in and help out whenever I can. If a nurse sees you work hard and sees that you aren't afraid to get your gloved hands (lol) dirty, he/she will many times seek you out when a skill becomes available.

lainith · Apr 20, 2009

I am rounding out the end of my first year and we do it ALL. We take care of every need of our assigned patients from bed making to baths to medication administration to toileting, whatever comes up. And when our patient isn't in need of our assistance, we are out on the floors helping aids and nurses with whatever they need. If someone needs a bath, we give it to them. The only thing we do NOT do for patients that are not ours is medication administration. All cares that we are able to do, we do.

Couture85 · Apr 20, 2009

My day usually goes like this:

0700-0800 Physical Assessment

0800-0900 Help feed patients

0900-1000 Medication Admin.

1000-1100 Charting/Nurses Notes/Wasting time

1100-1130 Lunch

1130-1230 Most students are hiding in closets writing or something. I'm usually helping other patient's b/c I'm bored to tears.

1230-1300 Help patients with lunch

1300-1500 I'm back to sitting with patients talking to them b/c I have nothing to do.

I seriously hope I get more from clinical than I do right now. I'm very disappointed in my clinical as a whole. My instructor was wonderful, it wasn't that.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 20, 2009

I am rounding out the end of my first year and we do it ALL. We take care of every need of our assigned patients from bed making to baths to medication administration to toileting, whatever comes up. And when our patient isn't in need of our assistance, we are out on the floors helping aids and nurses with whatever they need. If someone needs a bath, we give it to them. The only thing we do NOT do for patients that are not ours is medication administration. All cares that we are able to do, we do.

This sounds exactly like my program.

MattiesMama · Apr 20, 2009

I'm glad to read that my program isn't the only one who does a lot of ADL's, bedpans and bedmaking in clinicals...I was worried they were just taking advantage of us to do the grunt-work, lol! As much as this isn't quite what I pictured doing in nursing school, I do have to say that I am learning a lot and it's helping me get to the point where I am comfortable around my patients, whereas if they had thrown me right into giving meds or inserting cathaters I would probobly fall on my face.