Cleaning Comodes??

Nurses General Nursing

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The RN's at the hospital are responsible for cleaning the bedside commodes after patients leave or transfer rooms? We are wondering if this practice is followed at any other facilities or if there is any evidence against this practice.

Thank you!

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The RN's at the hospital are responsible for cleaning the bedside commodes after patients leave or transfer rooms? We are wondering if this practice is followed at any other facilities or if there is any evidence against this practice.

Thank you!

Make sure you let 'em know you were busy "cleaning a toilet" the next time a patient falls.

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Specializes in ER.

I am surprised they haven't made you guys lick the floor clean. When I used to work in the ER, we had to clean the rooms and wipe the bed and make new bed regularly because there was no way for house keeping to keep up. I am sure it's nothing new anywhere else. On the contrary, I don't even clean my keyboards at work.

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I am surprised they haven't made you guys lick the floor clean.

Please, no suggestions ...they might be watching. :sour:

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Can I ask what your discharge process is? Do nurses strip the rooms and empty the commodes?

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Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.

We do it if there is a need for one and they are all dirty. Otherwise housekeeping does it. But there is no way housekeeping can keep pace with all that needs to be done on a busy day. When it makes sense for us to do something like that, we do.

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Yes..

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Can I ask what your discharge process is? Do nurses strip the rooms and empty the commodes?

Clean the commode? No. Dump out the stuff inside it? Yes. Housekeeping will hunt us down and watch us dump it and then they will wash it. I'm serious. I guess it was so much less hazardous being in contact with the residual than the whole thing (sarcasm).

The beds, really depends where you are. One hospital I was at we were required to strip the bed for housekeeping to spray it down. Currently, I've only seen where they come and do the whole bed. This is on the floor. I am sure areas with so many patients rotating in and out of the bed during the course of the day probably do so that they can get it done in time for the next one.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Either the CNA or we strip the rooms -- linens bagged, bodily fluids flushed, disposables like urinals/O2 tubing/box of tissues thrown away, reusables like scissors/IV pumps moved to the dirty utility room.

Housekeeping then removes the tied-up linen/trash bags and cleans EVERYTHING. They also change the privacy curtain if the room had been an iso room.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Are you provided the necessary cleaning equip as required for proper cleansing protocol? And have you been trained & educated on its use? Is the information readily accessible in your MSDS manual?

Just some thought for questions to bring up to the Powers That Be.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

I mean, the nurses or CNAs dump the contents and then rinse out the basin(?) between each use....including the last one. Is that what you mean?

Our floor only has a couple commode chairs so usually they are wiped down and taken to another patient pretty quickly; I don't know what housekeeping would do with it if it was left in the room. Probably push it outside the door like they do with the IV pumps and any other equipment that they don't deal with.

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Oh Gawd! After report and getting my meds, flushes, etc together, I made a dramtic flourish with a kitty cat toilet brush and bottle of clorox toilet cleaner.

Folks laughed, I got satisfaction but the point was made: our 3-11 housekeeping goddess was out on vacation and there was a BIG failure of communication (ie; chain of communication got messed up big time). I did get written up, however, for 'unprofessional communication" (even though the floor was starting to look like a real s----house).

I remember hearing/reading that a hospital laid of 'unnecessary staff" to save money so laid off housekeeping and janitorial. Guess they should have laid off infection control while they were at it. Far as I'm concerned, Housekeeping and janitorial, maintenance are some of the most important people working in hospital.

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