Tips on making that ICU bed look perfect after a bath

Wash their hair if you can, at least use one of those shampoo free caps you can put on, it gets the grease out, and comb the hair.

I always put shaving cream in the basin with water along with the soap, I find that make all the difference as far as smell goes. It just has a nicer smell then the soap, for the men anyway.

Make sure you always do good peri-care...often thats where odors can come from, especially on women if theyre not cleaned thourougly. With a bath change all the linens.

What also helps to make the patients look perfect, is if your room is perfect. Dont have garbage lying around. Have all your supplies organized and not strewn around the room, if garbages are overflowing and you have time to empty them, do it. Have all your lines organized and not everywhich way. Now sometimes when your patient is crashing, yeah there is no time for this, but when your pt is stable and you have time to tidy up, do it, it makes your life so much easier and you will "look" like a better nurse by the family if the room is tidy and the pt looks clean. Then when S^&t hits the fan, and your pt crashes, having an organized room will make things so much easier.

Cher

pits, pubes, and @ss... tighten the corners, and change the occasional chux... if it wasn't for a.m. care, i might have liked bedside a bit more..

I'm so glad you said that. Nice to know I'm not alone.

I've been doing this for almost 30 years. I love to give bed baths, and pts always feel better after them, almost without fail. I work in a high-acuity cardiac/vasc/thor/gen surg ICU.

My tricks are these: Medicate for pain before starting if appropriate. I dont use the warm wipes that come in a package. I use washclothes, a lot, and towels and a basin with hot water. I never rinse out a used washcloth. I wet the cloth, put soap in it, wash with it, use a fair amt of water, then put that cloth in the linen hamper. Get a new washcloth, get it wet, rinse the pt, dry the pt. I may use the rinse cloth for the next section getting washed. The water stays clear. There is nothing like liberal soap and water, which is then rinsed off.

Try to actually brush your pts teeth, it makes a difference.

I am a fanatic about a tidy room, and tangled lines are just not tolerated.

Of course, change the linens.

Put clean pillow cases on all the pillows.

Put warm blankets on the pt after the bath.

Change all the dressings. Shave the men. Wash and comb hair.

Elevate arms and legs on pillows.

Clean the bedside stands/tables either with alcohol or with the bacteriocidal wipes that are everywhere in units these days.

Turn the lights down after.

I always change the linens after a bath. I make a bed roll so it is easy when you turn the pt. side to side.

Calvin&Hobbes,
Mind if I print out a thousand copies of your post? I'd like to wallpaper our break room with it! I add a sprinkling of baby powder to their backs and sheets if it isn't contraindicated and always make sure that the closed ends of the pillowcases are facing the door. Changing ET and NG tube tapes also makes a big difference. As for washing hair: I have used wet, warm, soapy washcloths with many a collared bloody head trauma. Wrap the hair with a warm soapy washcloths ahead of time to soften up the dried blood. If it is really bad, tuck a thick garbage bag under the head and shoulders, put the bed flat and use warm soapy water poured from a clean urinal. You'll be standing at the head of the bed (think intubation position!) If you put a bottle of mouth wash in the final rinse, it gets rid of the old blood smell. Cover the central line with a thick towel, but expect to change it after anyways.

I add Johnsons Baby shampoo to the hot water....makes for a very clean and pleasant smell. I cannot take credit for this...one of the veteran nurses taught me this one!! (One of many great tips)