Bathing Patients..thought only CNAs do that?

[Sheller86]

I was reading a post on here about clinical rotations and someone mentioned that you have to bath patients, clean them after they use the bathroom, etc. I am confused because I thought LPNs did not do any of that, only CNAs. Can someone clarify this for me, because this may change my mind about going to school for nursing if I have to deal with cleaning feces and things like that. Thanks!

[CNM2B201?]

I was told when i was 18 that I had no business trying to be a nurse if I couldnt be a CNA... I didnt agree with that statement at the time but I still got my CNA..and started working in a nursing home..and then on to a med surg floor.

I did this for 2 yrs and I can honestly say that I fully believe that if you cant be a CNA then you should NOT be a RN.

and here is WHY.........

when I was a CNA on a med surg floor..I had to help take care of woman who was THROWING UP FECES....now do you think the nurses left the room while she was throwing up or do you think they had to jump in and do their jobs?! As a CNA I couldnt do anything for this woman..only the RN could..... food for thought.

[GoodtimeRN]

There are some nurses out there who say things like, "I didn't go to school for X years to be cleaning people up!" but those are not real nurses. Real nurses get their hands dirty because it's what they have to do. The best time to assess a patient is when you're giving them a bed bath or helping them get cleaned up. The CNA's do a heck of a lot of work and we should be so lucky to have them, but there are always going to be times when you need to know how to bathe a patient or how to put them on a bedpan! If a nurse doesn't know how to make a bed (and believe me, I have met them) he/she needs to go back to nursing school. Just sayin'.

[nursel56]

Once worked with a nurse in home care who didn't know how to wipe a butt. She contaminated the bath water by re-dipping poop into the basin, got the catheter stuck under the leg, tried to put an oil-based white substance on wet, excoriated skin and looked very puzzled by the whole experience, as if she had never seen poop or a butt before.

[Junebugfairy]

everyone, rn's-lpn's, and cna's, wipe butts, give baths, and get down and dirty. if i smell someone when i am auscultating their lung sounds or bowel sounds, i am not going to leave them in the mess. i am right there, i clean em up and get rolling. if they are larger, i call for 'back up'.

i have been spit on, pooped on, peed on, coughed on, and punched.

i have cleaned feces from orifices that really should not have them inside of them, yes, a lady parts.

it is all nursing care. you are helping that person maintain their dignity, skin integrity, and self esteem..even if they cannot tell you so.

[whatwasithinkinglol]

I'm a former CNA and LPN student. The personal care does take some getting used to, but it really does become an act of compassion. Being kind to a patient during the process is once of the nicest things you can do for them.

Don't let your initial reaction slow you down. You'll get past it. :) Good luck!!!