Bed Baths & Other Nursing Arts Still Taught? (Speaking of Wet Wipe Baths)

BrandonLPN, LPN · Sep 8, 2012

We learned bed baths in my LPN school. With wash cloths and with wet wipes. I personally hate the wet wipes. I know they are used in the hospital moreso than washcloths. But give me a good old fashioned basin filled with soapy water and a stack of washcloths any day.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2012

Just wondering if learning how to give bed baths is still taught in today's RN nursing programs? Or has it gone the way of other nursing arts such as three different types of bed making and so forth?

I had to learn a bed bath and how to make an occupied and unoccupied bed.

It is still taught.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Sep 8, 2012

We learned bed baths in my LPN school. With wash cloths and with wet wipes. I personally hate the wet wipes. I know they are used in the hospital moreso than washcloths. But give me a good old fashioned basin filled with soapy water and a stack of washcloths any day.

I hate those wet wipes being called a bath. I use soap and water. If its a quick clean up wet wipes are ok.

tokebi · Sep 9, 2012

Bed-making is still taught. Whether they're still remembered after the mind-numbing classes on nursing research and ethics and etc... is questionable.

Funny thing is, I first learned proper bed-making by a drill sergeant -- tight, neat, wrinkle-free. Years later, I encounter a nursing instructor who I thought really knew how to teach making a bed... Turns out she's ex-military too.

Do-over, ASN, RN · Sep 9, 2012

I learned baths (and was expected to bath my patients each day in clinicals - especially the first round). Also learned different bed making techniques, but don't really remember them. Usually the bed is either occupied during the change or I am flying through it in hopes of finishing before the patient gets back from the bathroom...

Good Morning, Gil · Sep 9, 2012

I had to learn this in school, along with making an occupied, unoccupied bed, and the mitered corners. And, I just graduated 2 years ago. Those mitered corners went out the window after my first clinical, just not natural for me lol.

RNMom2010 · Sep 9, 2012

My mom was a LPN prior to her govt career and she always made our beds with mitered corners. I learned from her, and had to teach my class how to do it properly! I still make all beds, including my own, with mitered corners. What else do you do with the corners?!?!

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Sep 9, 2012

I remember learning these skills in my Fundamentals class in 2007. Bed baths are still taught, both with washcloths and wet wipes (the WARM wet wipes!!!) and we were taught how to make an occupied and unoccupied bed.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Sep 9, 2012

I graduated in 2008. Our first few skills labs were hand washing, bed making (occupied and unoccupied), and bed baths.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Sep 9, 2012

Yes, basic skills taught in the first day and practiced during the first clinical rotation (among other things).

RainMom · Sep 9, 2012

A requirement for my RN program was that applicants had to already be a CNA, so we came into the program already knowing bathing/feeding/bedmaking etc before we started. This way we could move right on to other skills. In clinicals, we were always responsible for these as part of our total care of our pts.