Cleaning patients after bowel movements.

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I hope this is not a stupid or idiot question. But, how do does a nursing staff member clean after a bowel movement using a bedpan, or from an accidental soiling of his or herself? Do you use like super strong and thick paper towels the size of bath towels?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
On 8/10/2019 at 4:23 AM, rachelak1234 said:

Going into the excruciating detail about bowel movements is absolutely mind-numbingly boring. Those of you who find this kind of topic fascinating by writing long, drawn-out paragraphs about it... Sorry, but I must ask: What’s WRONG with you??

Well, there are those of us [like me] that find the long drawn out poop cleaning descriptions funny when I'm not the one actually dealing with said code brown. My husband was just asking me what I was laughing about and yelled at me when I told him. Apparently he doesn't find the topic as funny as I do, go figure!

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Specializes in Long Term Care.

Use either washcloths with soap and water or whipped. Plenty of them. Apply skin barrier if ordered.

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If a patient is at the toilet and I am just making sure they are clean I use toilet paper.

If they are excessively dirty, on bedpan, or incontinent we use wash clothes with foam soap 99% of the time. Due to too many clogged toilets we have to specially request baby wipes and honestly I think washcloths work better. Unless their skin is exceptionally delicate.

Anyone incontinent always had some cream put on after either barrier cream or criticaid. Everyone else if they seem to need it.

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Specializes in ED.
On 7/30/2019 at 4:56 PM, Kidsrablast said:

Well just curious. Especially if you have a guy that is 6'5 and 300 pounds. And why the question with harsh tone?

300lbs isn't bad. When you get one that is pushing 450lbs, and can't help you turn it becomes a problem

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Specializes in Surgical/Trauma/Neuroscience/Cardiac ICU.

At my unit, we are using warmed disposable incontinent wipes so when I floated to another floor, I asked the nurse on how to use 2 face cloths and 1 towel to clean a bowel movement.

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Specializes in Trach/vent PDN.

I'm in Home health and the majority of us use baby wipes.

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