Bathing - scared to death!

Ortho_RN · Dec 3, 2003

It will get easier.. You will do it like you have been doing it for years.

The only time I ever get uncomfortable is when I am having to bathe a guy closer to my age. And when that occurs I let them bathe as much of themselves as possible, especially their privates.. If there arms aren't broke they can reach it :)

It isn't bad.. Especially the elderly. They usually just enjoy the company.

jennysjewels · Dec 3, 2003

Thanks for the reply... I know it will get easier! I guess I'm worried about the whole guy issue, too! It doesn't help that my friends (non nursing field) keep teasing me that a guy will get all excited...! GRRRR! I know they are joking.... but I don't need teasing right now! LOL!

Jenny

iliel · Dec 3, 2003

maybe you should visit the nursing home before school starts. Talk to someone and walk around a little, if you are alone you can work through your fears and not have the combination of the stress from the first day of clinical over your head.

When I first gave a bath to an adult I had never even bathed a child. It's really not bad. You just stand there most of the time and talk to them and help them reach their back. It's mostly about the company and making sure they don't fall. You'll find it to be pretty easy.

Don't worry too much, you'll do great!

Nurse2bSandy · Dec 3, 2003

Jenny,

Relax! Bathing is a part of life. You do it all the time. You touch your naked body to care for yourself. It's normal and natural.

When you bathe a client it is the same thing, but you do it for them. I actually have enjoyed my "bathing" experiences. It gives me a time to offer some real caring touch to my clients.

Okay, now so you don't think that I am just into bathing...

I dropped out of nursing school when I was 18 because I was too intimidated by the intimate procedures that I needed to do on my elderly clients. I had a real block about doing this again.

By the time we got to the hospital, though, I felt confident from our lab practice (and, no, we didn't practice peri-care on each other.) I just look at bathing as another skill that we do, not an intimate thing.

In the hospital I had three particular patients that were bedridden and needed complete care. The CNA showed me their way to do peri-care (just carefully dump the water between the legs letting everything wash off, the chux catches it.) I was having such a hard time washing off sticky BM. I had two men and had to be concerned about foreskins, etc. THey are used to this and were very patient with me.

Yes, if they can do it for themselves, it is good to let them. Good for ROM (range of motion). I must say that I have been hospitalized many times for various things and NEVER had a bed bath. Once you learn it, I don't think you will use it all of the time. Many patients do their own care, or there will be CNA's available to help. Just tell yourself that this is something that you must do to get through... then just do it!

jennysjewels · Dec 3, 2003

Thanks for the great advice!

I think a "walk through" is a wonderful idea! My original thought was that the first day I would just try to stick with a fellow student - but I don't know if that's possible.

I appreciate your honesty, nurse2bSandy, I know I could not have gone through nursing school at 18/19 years old! Only now at (ehm... 30...) am I able to do what it takes to get through such a tough program.

Keep em coming.... ;-)

Jenny

zambezi, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2003

As others have mentioned, it is not as bad as it seems...you will get lots of practice...Bathing is also a great time to get to know and assess your patient. You are able to look at their skin, their movements, can feel for pulses. It is a great time to ask questions and get to know your patient. It is a basic skill that gets easier with practice. Just think of how you would want a bath if you could not get out of bed or do it yourself. Of course, remember to respect your patients privacy by keeping things covered, keeping the patient warm, etc...Good Luck. I agree with what Iliel said about visiting a nursing home also to get in touch with how you feel about things...Relax and have fun!

colleen10 · Dec 3, 2003

Our nursing program started us out at a nursing home to learn basic care too.

Because most students have never done basic care before and because you are new to the facility and don't know where things are or how the facility expects things to be done, you will probably be paired up with an Aide from the facility or with your instructor. At least this is how we started out.

So, don't worry to much, the first couple times you give a bed bath or regular bath you probably won't be completely alone. You'll have someone there to direct you and make you feel like you are not going it alone.

Good luck,

Col

kwagner_51 · Dec 3, 2003

I am 42 and have bathed 4 children, yet the thought of giving a bath to an ADULT made my stomach cramp!! I DREADED the nursing lab that taught us how to give baths!!Looking back over the semester, I have to laugh at myself and my fear.

I guess I was really afraid of a guy getting an erection and me wanting to sink into the floor!!! However, that didn't happen. When I approached the patients, I looked at them as people. Seems obvious, BUT I also treated them with as much dignity as I could. I bathed a 23 y/o male who had wrecked his 4 wheeler. He had massive bruising on his right flank and a fx collarbone. I did all care but his privates. I asked him if he wanted to do that himself.

Being the mother of 3 boys [ages 13, 11, and 8] I KNEW that he would have absolutely NO modesty at ALL!! I soaped up the cloth, turned my body so that I was facing away from the bed and handed him the cloth. He whipped the bath blanket off and proceeded to clean himself. :imbar If I hadn't expected his reaction, I would have seem ALL of his family jewels. :chuckle :chuckle

Think of giving a bath as something you HAVE to do...a skill if you please. Then remember after your first semester, you probably won't have to do it ever again. Also, the younger the guy, the more likely he is to be 'open about his body'. I bathed a 78 y/o man who did NOT reveal himself to me. All in all, I learned that I can give baths and that it does make the patient feel so much better. Just treat them the same way you want to be treated and above all else...allow them to keep their DIGNITY!!

Let us know how your bathing experience goes!!

jennysjewels · Dec 3, 2003

Thanks Kwagner!

I have a son, also... and I guess I forgot about the lack of modesty part! *chuckle*

See... that is why I love this forum!

Jenny

sanakruz, ADN · Dec 3, 2003

I still hate the smell of nuetrogena soap because of the anxiety I felt the first time I had to touch a naked stranger!

The anxiety faded quickly and now all that remains is a powerful memory when I smell that soap!:kiss

Altra, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2003

I would echo all the above suggestions, and here's something to remember: any hesitation you may have will fade away the first time you bathe someone who is unable to do it for themselves, and they say something like, "oh, thank you dear, I feel so much better." Just like everyone else, I have bathed elderly people and cleaned up after some very messy BMs, and although you might now think "how am I going to get through this?" you may very well find that, once it's your responsibility, you Just Do It , as the saying goes. And if you can do it in a caring but dispassionate manner, without further embarassment to the client, they will be very grateful.

Good luck,

Leigh