Did RNs Have To Practice Bathing Each Other In NS

lemonlimeEMT · May 17, 2008

When we had to use the maniquins one of us in my group would often speak for the doll to make it a little bit more real.

We do that a lot too!!

or when we are doing a SimLab type thing, the [good] instructors speak for the "patient."

lemonaidangel · May 17, 2008

We had a skills lab our first semester. We practiced vital signs, bathing (in shorts and tank tops), change bandages, lifting people out of bed with gait belts, changing sheets with people still in the bed, etc. It was a lot of fun. I wish we had a practice lab for every class! Unfortunately, now we are forced to practice on our real patient's, even if we have never done it before.

IV's and blood draws come in the fall. I know students from other colleges complain that they have to practice on fellow students, but I wish we did this. Invasive or not, I would rather we practice how to poke each other and make mistakes in lab instead of learning how to do it on poor, unsuspecting patient's and having to stab him/her multiple times before getting it right!

kiwilime81 · May 18, 2008

I know for my school we will practice starting IVs on each other in third semester. We didn't have to practice bed baths on each other in nursing assistant training - we used dummies and then shadowed with another NA on the floor and learned quickly.

BTW, I can't even imagine practicing an NG on someone else or vice versa

FireFly07 · May 18, 2008

We had to do baths (shorts/tank top) complete with washing hair, brushing teeth, etc. We also practiced vitals on each other, as well as putting someone on, taking them off of a (full) bedpan. We gave SQ injections to each other. We had to do the bed making and such as well.

tullosrn2010 · May 18, 2008

I start NS in the fall and Ive heard several times that they do practice bathing on each other in bras and panties!!! and ppl have said that they practice ivs on oranges!! just to get the technique down

Nurseinprocess · May 18, 2008

We didn't practice bathing each other or mannequins at all. I have to say it isn't easy doing it on a live pt when you don't know what the heck you are doing :no: . I have only initiated one bed bath so far and the pt was an 87 yr old man that didn't want it. I convinced him he should let me freshen up his face and upper body, but I felt so awkward doing it that I didn't balk when the actual nurse aide assigned to him told me she would give him a proper bath. He looked snug as a bug in a rug when I returned after the two nurse aides fixed him up :). The photos in our skills book made it look simple, but it's really not the first few times.

baldee · May 18, 2008

They mention so little in HHA or CNA about this subject. I only read here reference of how to wipe someone and manipulating the folds of skin: a key to doing 90% of CNA work, including bathing 400 lb men.

Wearing bathing suits really hides and withholds information to the new student. Maybe the 'candy coating' is to reduce natural attrition or to save time, but for a CNA or HHA, its critical stuff. High turnover industry tactics: wait until they've invested more time and certified before they attempt to rennig. :no: :no: :no:

Adenium · May 18, 2008

We did the bed bath with shorts and tank tops, brushed each others teeth, and for those of us that were willing gave SC injections (needle insertion but no actual injection) and PPDs of sterile water. I have enormous needle phobia from too many unskilled blood draws, so my hands were sweating, but I was so grateful we did the first "needlework" on each other. I'm in an accelerated post-bachelors program so lots of people assume we do less than an ADN or BSN might - hence I was glad to get this opportunity in the first week. Oh yeah, and practicing on each other helps drive in the importance of the smooth "darting" motion for injections. The timid folks who oh-so-slowly pressed a needle in certainly heard about it.

I'm halfway through my program now, and I have to say that helped a lot in my first hospital clinicals. Baths were more efficient, and I could give shots without sweating and quaking. The patients even complimented me on how smooth and authoritative I was, I guess expecting less from a student. Now, if only we'd had to shave men in advance! My first patient was very particular about it and thought it was a hoot that he had to give me pointers, but he was a good sport.

me-too · May 18, 2008

We didn't practice bathing each other or mannequins at all. I have to say it isn't easy doing it on a live pt when you don't know what the heck you are doing . I have only initiated one bed bath so far and the pt was an 87 yr old man that didn't want it. I convinced him he should let me freshen up his face and upper body, but I felt so awkward doing it that I didn't balk when the actual nurse aide assigned to him told me she would give him a proper bath. He looked snug as a bug in a rug when I returned after the two nurse aides fixed him up :). The photos in our skills book made it look simple, but it's really not the first few times.

What is it about bathing another person that makes it so hard?

Are the patients uncooperative?

me-too :uhoh21:

Nurseinprocess · May 18, 2008

What is it about bathing another person that makes it so hard?
Are the patients uncooperative?
me-too :uhoh21:

Oh no, he wasn't uncooperative at all, it was just awkward handling him, wringing the cloth, keeping him covered so he didn't catch a chill, etc.. It's just weird bathing another adult. Nothing like bathing an infant or child. I'm sure after I do it a few times I won't feel so clumsy! He actually would have been a good candidate for my first head to toe bath if I hadn't had the nurse aides eager to do it for me. I know that nurses don't usually bathe patients when there are nurse aides available, but I do want to learn proper technique and I don't want to be hesitant to do it when it's needed.

FAworld · May 18, 2008

We did have to test out on bathing with fellow nursing students. We wore shorts, tank top, and a gown. As for injections, we used mannequins for safety purposes.

This is exactly how my school does it, too. Bathing each other wasn't a big deal because it was pretty much just face, limbs and verbalizing the rest.

And it was really awkward the first time or two giving someone else a bed bath but it did get easier. And I definitely found it's much easier/smoother when you have one other person to help.

crunchymomx3 · May 19, 2008

This is all very interesting. In my school we did skills labs for sterile dressing changes, foleys, IV drip rates, etc but not bed baths. We learned that in clinical on the floor.

We also don't learn to do blood draws or IVs at all until we get jobs. Many hospitals here have IV teams and the CNAs do blood draws in the patient already has a site.