Do you clean bedpans or throw them out?

[RNdynamic]

Do you actually rinse out plastic bedpans?

I will always empty and rinse out bedpans that contain straight urine, but if somebody has a BM in a bedpan, I often don't empty it at all. I just throw the bedpan, stool and all, straight into the trash can and get another one for later use. I think it is so gross to rinse out stool over the sink as it drips and splashes all over the place. It can also be difficult and time consuming to wash out large, sticky pieces of stool from the plastic.

However, recently another nurse told me that it was against policy to throw out bedpans that contain stool and that the housekeepers get mad about it. I haven't been able to find documentation of that but just to be safe, I sometimes will cover the bedpan with paper towels after tossing it.

How do you handle bedpans? Do you wash them out or throw them out?

[loriangel14, RN]

We have plastic and metal bedpans. The urine and stool go in the toilet and our toilets have sprayers to rinse out the stool. The bedpans are reused and sent to be sterilzed. They would be upset if we threw them out.

[desertstar6]

Yeah I put a chux on it. It's way easier.

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Now remembering why I don't want to do med-surg. Ever.

What? Patients in other specialties DON'T PEE OR POOP?!? Wait just a darn minute!

I want my money back! I want a re-count! Nobody ever told me about this!

[prmenrs, RN]

What? Patients in other specialties DON'T PEE OR POOP?!? Wait just a darn minute!

I want my money back! I want a re-count! Nobody ever told me about this!

Everybody pees and poops. But, in NICU, every pt. wears diapers, and, generally, the mess is significantly less in quantity and quality.

[wanderlustnurse88, RN]

Do your facilities not have a washer for them? We empty them down the hopper and then it goes into the washer. I don't think it sterilizes it, but it's like a little dishwasher for the bed pans and urinals. Not sure of the actual name of them.

[Oswin]

I always cleaned the plastic ones, except in rare cases where it was just too much effort. At my facility the pt got charged for each bedpan, so we tried to be conscientious of that, and they do cost the facility money. But sometimes... when they get that super pasty rank poop that you have to spend 10+ minutes scrubbing to keep the bedpan from stinking up the whole room... you just have to let it go and start over!

[Oswin]

Does anyone else have problems with spillage?? It seems like there is never a time when the pt is taken off a bedpan and doesn't have that problem. Maybe it's me, maybe I need more practice. I'm excited about the chux idea though. Maybe that will help.

It happens, yeah. Especially when the bedpan is full. But if it's happening EVERY time you might want to examine your "technique". Try pushing down on the edge closest to you while the pt rolls the other way to keep it level. Also, when you get them on the bed pan, make sure their thighs aren't touching before they "go", and if their orders allow, sit them up a bit!! Urine will run right down the thighs if they're touching and make a mess.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I like to line the bedpan with a chux. The chux liner gets thrown out and the bedpan remains clean for reuse.

This...

I line the bedpan with those disposable big wipes, then toss the wipes, especially into the big chux, or with line with the smaller chux.

Been doing that since 2002!

[delphine22]

Now remembering why I don't want to do med-surg. Ever.

I use the bedpan way more in the ICU than I ever did on the floor, where most of my pts could walk themselves (or I'd hold their arm) as they used the toilet.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

We have cheap plastic bedpans (they'll collapse under some patients) in our ER. We usually throw them away after each use.

[0.adamantite]

I always toss the dirty bed pan. Then I take the trash bag to the utility room so it doesn't stink up the room. I'm not about to have poopy water spray up in my face or on my uniform. I'm sure the bedpans cost like 75 cents each. Chux cost more.

[No Stars In My Eyes]

I signed out a peri-skin product to a patient once, only to find out there was a 300% mark-up in the price of it if it was purchased through the hospital instead of at a drugstore. Something may be cheap on the market, but in a hospital the price can be exorbitant.