How did you get through your first bed bath?

FroggysMom · Oct 8, 2005

I agree with the idle chit chat concern, cause I've seen such before. Whereas, if it is just one caregiver doing the bed bath, then focus can be on doing a visual type physical assessment while conducting the bed bath. Plus, if the nursing student can get the patient to open up verbally a "nurse-patient" bond can be formed.
BTW, Seattle is a beautiful city!

Hey, you're so right- Seattle IS a beautiful city. Thanks for the great pic.

On the subject of bed baths, was never a biggie for me even in the beginning. I always saw it as just another part of patient care. My advice for students is to just do it. The naked body isn't such a big deal so don't stress over it. It is a good time to make assessments, and if you must talk see if the patient is willing to do so. You can learn alot about their situations in and out of the hospital and can then better care for them.

For those students who are squeamish, get over it. We all came into this life without clothes and we may at some time, find ourselves 'baring all' in the event of illness or accident. You would want a bath to feel better - and so do your patients. If a bed bath freaks you out, what is going to happen when you see other things (emesis, sputum, stool)....Its all a part of life.

Guitar_Heroine · Oct 8, 2005

I'm in my first semester of nursing school and for our first couple weeks our clinical instructor had us work in pairs. It helped a lot because we weren't that adept at assisting patients yet, so what one person didn't think of the other one did. Also made it easier for helping move the patients. We troubleshooted together but the care was patient-focused, something all of our instructors have emphasized throughout but a reminder can't hurt! Monday I start with my very own patient! Then in a couple weeks we take on another, etc. I also found it helpful to spend a day shadowing the NACs and learning some of their tricks. You do sound like a great teacher! Good luck!

zacsmimi · Oct 8, 2005

:nurse: I taught CNAs for several years... a high school aged class; so the nervousness was even higher, I think. I too, allowed pairing up for the first one or two baths.

I had them critique each other. I also have always taught my students this:

take a matter of fact attitude. It isnt really that WE are embarrassed, we are afraid the patient is embarrassed... which in turn makes us uncomfortable. Think about how nervous the PATIENT might be, how grateful to have the care, and how much easier you will make it with your matter-of-fact, take-it-all -in- stride attitude. The kids said later this often helped.

Corvette Guy · Oct 8, 2005

Hey, you're so right- Seattle IS a beautiful city. Thanks for the great pic.
On the subject of bed baths, was never a biggie for me even in the beginning. I always saw it as just another part of patient care. My advice for students is to just do it. The naked body isn't such a big deal so don't stress over it. It is a good time to make assessments, and if you must talk see if the patient is willing to do so. You can learn alot about their situations in and out of the hospital and can then better care for them.
For those students who are squeamish, get over it. We all came into this life without clothes and we may at some time, find ourselves 'baring all' in the event of illness or accident. You would want a bath to feel better - and so do your patients. If a bed bath freaks you out, what is going to happen when you see other things (emesis, sputum, stool)....Its all a part of life.

Excellent reply!

BTW, for more Seattle area pics go half way down page 9 of my website for PICs of my 18 days spent at North FT Lewis, WA in support of 2005 Operation ROTC Warrior Forge

crb613, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2005

I was a little nervous on my first one too but we did not pair up. I just went in & did it.....kept the client covered when I was not bathing that area. This help me as well as the client......I did my physcial assessment while I did the bath. I talked to my client the whole time & felt like it was easier for me w/just the client.....we connected & there was not a bunch of eyes on the client which I would appreciate if it were me. Just my opinion but I can say being given a bath in the first place is bad enough without a bunch of people looking at you in your most venerable state. If we could get over thinking what would be easier for us & think...........what would be easier for the client & how would we want our mother/father/children to be treated maybe that would help ease the nerves. You seem like you will be a great instructor! Good Luck :)

following_faith · Oct 8, 2005

Well, maybe so... however, how realistic is "pairing up" when as a nursing student you will each be assigned one patient, then by the end of the program worked your way up to at least 4 patients.
On the otherhand, taking a patient to the shower becomes a safety issue & "pairing up" w/another classmate, or CNA is very realistic.

Yeah-but how "realistic" is it to only have 4 patients or to even have time to give an adequate bath?

If they were paired up-don't pair with friends..if you have a lot of CNA's in the class, pair one inexperienced with a CNA. Give them the option of pairing up-some may rather go at it alone anyways.

following_faith · Oct 8, 2005

...
For those students who are squeamish, get over it. We all came into this life without clothes and we may at some time, find ourselves 'baring all' in the event of illness or accident. You would want a bath to feel better - and so do your patients. If a bed bath freaks you out, what is going to happen when you see other things (emesis, sputum, stool)....Its all a part of life.

There really is no reason to be rude. Bed baths, school, hospitals, all that other stuff...it is all a new world for some of us. We have every right to be nervous about going out and doing something unknown for the first time. Nudity has nothing to do with it-it is the entire concept of finally caring for an indivudual on such levels.

JentheRN05, RN · Oct 8, 2005

You are caring enough to think of this, and so did she. But she was also very determined to have us succeed. What happened with us is we were given patients who could either, wash their own peri area, or of the same sex, then worked over to the other over a couple of clinicals.

I think that pairing up is a good idea though, and funny your concerns would be the exact ones my previous instructor would've had, are you sure your not her? lol

Keep up the encouragement. The instructor I spoke of was more than an instructor, she was a mentor. She pinned me at graduation, and now I would consider us close friends.

mstigerlily · Oct 8, 2005

Bed baths were never a big deal for me. But for the patient, I am sensitive if they seem modest or uncomfortable. I chat with them a bit first, try to get to know the, sit down while doing their history. Let them know I will be giving them a bed bath. Then depending on how verbal and receptive the patient is I either engage them in some light conversation during the bedbath or just talk them through it..."washing your legs now, we'll just cover up the top bits", etc.

Usually people, even if embarrassed, enjoy getting a bath and getting cleaned. It feels good to be touched and to be cleaned. I've never had anyone who hated it unless they were really combative and disoriented.

Melissa

I am a clinical instructor for a group of students who will have to do bed baths on "real" folks next week. They have practiced on each other, but of course did not wash breasts or genitals. They are expressing how freaked out they are about this. I'm not so out of touch as to not recall my own fears, but what I wonder is how you as students managed your first time? Was there anything your instructor did to help (besides allowing them ample time to discuss their fears)? Part of me feels they just need to jump in and do it, sink or swim sydrome, but I want them to have a successful experience, so to that end I would appreciate your input.

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Oct 8, 2005

Not really on topic, but let me tell you about my first bed bath, many many moons ago.

Two of us - I was assigned peri care on a 90 something lady in a Catholic nursing home (I'm a guy).

She was aphasic. She squinched those knees together and fought tooth and nail. After, oh must have been 10 minutes of my partner and I trying to 'spread em', so I could give care, the patient finally mustered up the words 'geeeeeetttttt ooouuuuuutttt!'

So I went to the crustidy nurse (a nun) and told her the pt refused my care. Her response: 'you get back in there and do your job!'

But, I replied, we were taught that if a pt refused care, we couldn't force it.

Reply back 'she did not refuse, go bathe your patient'

My response 'she said, "get out" ' - fortunately I had a partner to back this up.

Nurse Nun: 'this pt told you to get out?'

YES

"Praise to God, Sister Mary hasn't spoken in 8 yrs!"

Unless you plan on your male students doing peri care on retired Nuns, your students have a leg up on me, if you'll excuse the awful pun.

~faith,

Timothy.

tx2007, RN · Oct 8, 2005

Good point
We brought treats for the staff and have a plan set up to this all quarter.

After our first clinical our instructor sat us down in the break room and said " I think we all did great today and need to be rewarded take a cookie and pass the box around." LOL I know it sounds dumb but it made us feel good and that she really cared about us.

MIA-RN1, RN · Oct 8, 2005

I have given serious thought to the idea of pairing up - my concern for this idea is twofold. One- the person who is slightly more comfortable may end up taking the lead and washing the scary areas, while the other lets them. My other concern is that being brand new and nervous and perhaps not great at communicating with patients, they might chit chat OVER the patient and maybe sort of ignore them. Bathing somene is such an intimate exercise I worry that the person in the bed gets lost. What do you all think?
I'm new to teaching clinical and I really want the students to have a fabulous experience. I appreciate your genuine responses and ideas... thanks.

We paired up our first time and it made it so much easier. We were instructed beforehand on the talking over the patient issue. We never ignored the patient, if anything we were hypersensitive to modesty and warmth/comfort. I changed that bathwater a LOT lol. The use of the bathblanket/sheet for covering the patient and preserving modesty was really hammered into our heads. But there is that Sink or Swim bit. Ya gotta wash the whole patient, but still, with two of you in there, maybe only one person does the 'scary' parts but even the one who doesn't do it gets the experience of being there. My first patient was a male and I was really nervous but having another student in there with me made me feel better.