What's a bed bath worth?

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by AndyLyn
Jul 28, '03   Views: 3,620   Comments: 21

  1. We've been talking some about nursing as an independent profession, and that if that is ever really to happen, nurses have to be able to charge a fee for service rendered... Well, that got me to thinkin'. If that's ever going to happen, we'll have to agree on a number ($) for everything!

    So, for starters...

    Just what would you charge for a linen-changing, bottom scrubbing, hair brushing, all-over washing with good mouth care and all?

    Can't wait to see what everyone else thinks.
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    About AndyLyn

    Joined: Apr '03; Posts: 133; Likes: 53
    RN, BSN

    21 Comments

    Topic Closed
  3. by SmilingBluEyes
    Jul 28, '03
    This is not a new concept or idea. Charges for nursing services has been discussed here before. Get the CEO's/administrators, HMO/PPO's and the public to buy off on it-----I am ALREADY SOLD. You would be preaching to a choir here.
  4. by Spaniel gal
    Jul 28, '03
    Nothing...
    (i mean it should be paid for!)

    I think bed baths are an important part of nursing care and shouldn't have a 'price' as many would choose not to have one or try to do it themselves when they are unable to. I enjoy the interaction between my patient and myself. Patients cannot see their backs/ shoulders they wouldn't know if skin was breaking down.


    I appreciate that being a paediatric nurse, we are generally better staffed than general adults nurses. This is my experience anyway in the UK. Its seems in the USA it is acceptable for nurses to have a huge caseload were you don't have much time.

    Ruby

    Please don't flame me its just my thought on this!
    Last edit by Spaniel gal on Jul 28, '03
  5. by BrandieRNq
    Jul 28, '03
    Imagine what you pay for beauty services...?
    This could get interesting...
  6. by NancyRN
    Jul 28, '03
    Haha Brandie! I just paid over $100 for a shampoo, cut and color that took an hour. Didn't even get styled! Hmmmm....
  7. by Rustyhammer
    Jul 28, '03
    Throw in a good back rub and I have $50 with your name on it.
    -R
  8. by dawngloves
    Jul 28, '03
    Depends on who the patient is?
  9. by Jayne LPN
    Jul 28, '03
    HOW ABOUT A NECK RUB? I WAS ASKED LAST NITE AT WORK BY A PT IF THAT WAS CONSIDERED TO FALL UNDER MY JOB DESCRIPTION.......!!!!!!!!!!! (YEAH RIGHT!!!!!)
  10. by live4today
    Jul 28, '03
    Originally posted by AndyLyn
    So, for starters...

    Just what would you charge for a linen-changing, bottom scrubbing, hair brushing, all-over washing with good mouth care and all?
    My fee would be $50.00 per session including all the above. Extra for backrubs.
  11. by fairyprincess2003
    Jul 28, '03
    I'm sorry
    But I don't think nurses should be required to perform personal hygeine duties. These are exact reasons that nurses are going to be expected to suck it up, or not think they are better, or not have a defined role. Hell if we are washing people we should be able to brush their hair, and shave them, and clean the rooms, and everything else. What about what we go to school and learn, what about the patient's cardiac status, etc. I am sorry but I just think that is tooooooo much. Times have changed, they keep increasing the education and skills required of nurses, yet keep adding more to our workload. Expecting nurses to do everything they used too, plus a million more things. And if it's about "being too good" why doesn't everyone help to do am care, why not the doctors, resp therapists, etc??? I mean it's all fine and dandy to want close interaction with the patient, but when you have to assess two times a day(baseline), take orders, do admissions and discharges, draw bloods, start IV's, pass meds, pick on on docs mistakes, keep an eye on the monitors, and print and name EKG's then having to worry about washing people and passing trays seems to be a little much.
    Just my opinion.
  12. by bellehill
    Jul 28, '03
    I have learned more from my patients when talking to them during a bath than reading the chart. Of course you don't always have time to give bed baths, but what a great way to get to know your patients. Nothing sounds better than having a patient thank you for helping them get cleaned up and for talking to them. All the extra duties are important (labs, EKGs, monitors..), but isn't nursing supposed to be about the nurse-patient interaction?
  13. by fab4fan
    Jul 28, '03
    And what a perfect time to do a good physical assessment on the pt!
  14. by Rapheal
    Jul 28, '03
    A bed bath is an ideal time to interact with a patient and do a thorough skin assessment. However, when you have a full assignment with high acuity patients it should be assigned to an aide. Abnormal lab results, O2 sats, Cardiac arrythmias, ect, ect, all take priority.

    If I had time, I would spend a half hour cleaning them, assessing them, clean between their toesies, shave them. style them and clean the junk out of their room all for $11 (half of my hourly rate) and that would be just peachy with me.

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