I hate bedmaking

Nursing Students Male Students

Published

This may prove to be the only thing that I won't like about nursing school/being a nurse. Give me pathophysiology, give me assessment, give me risk factors....give me all of the hard facts of the human body, and I will feel like I'm in my game - but ask me to miter bedcorners and I just lose all patience like there's no tomorrow. lol. Maybe it's just a guy thing. Any other guys (or females, for that matter) who don't like bedmaking?

On a more serious note - I know I'll get the hang of it before check-off time, but right now it's just the only thing I think I don't like so far. lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think it's unrealistic that we will like every aspect of our job. It's probably not a guy thing at all. I like doing it sometimes and sometimes I don't. Same way at home! It takes some skill, but it's something that seems unimportant at times. Practice makes perfect, or at least good enough...you will find a place for it in your work eventually....or you may not even have to ever do it, but you will have conquered it!

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MICU/SICU.

ah yes, those damned bed corners. and even worse, the overly zealous teachers who swear that your patient's blood pressure will sky rocket in direct correlation to the number of wrinkles on their sheets. yes, cleanliness and organization are very important in our profession, after all we are caring for people. but after doing the "check-off" at school, i don't remember ever mitering a corner. well... at least in ICU that is. i'm pretty sure a mitered corner is the last thing on everyone's mind... well either that or why Casper is such a friendly ghost. he's probably got ulterior motives.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

Remember- seam up or seam down too, or was that just in the old days?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

easy way to get that corner. Tuck in the foot of the sheet. Then stick your arm under the hanging part and tuck the sheet in. You should get a fairly decent corner with that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

They never really taught us bedmaking in our program. Just a brief video after we were already 16 weeks into clinical.

I usually don't tuck in the top sheet, but just tuck in down the foot of the matress, that way it's easier for me to just pull the bottom of the sheet up to check the legs for edema, pulses, or to make sure the SCDs are on OK.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.

Jedi, I can assure you, it's not just a man thing! I hated hated hated bedmaking in NS, and have only done it in real life maybe 6 times. Where I work (nights) the CAs usually change the beds during days.

And I think it's rediculous to change the bedsheets DAILY on someone who's not leaking/bleeding/sweating/pooping or otherwise soiling their sheets.

Having said all that, as a student I found a real nice infected stage 2 bedsore that had gone unnoticed by the floor RNs. Sheets stunk to high hell too, and I wonder when it had last been changed. (i'm not trying to judge the floor rns there, but it was not a very busy unit)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med onc, med, surg, now in ICU!.

I hate washing people! I get a LOT of weird looks if I ever admit to that. I ensure I always do wash my patients, of course, and I don't spend hours whining about it or do a half-hearted job, but I can't say I enjoy anything about showering people.

I don't mind making beds, especially on a Sunday when I get time and three quarters. I make a couple and think "Haha, another $40 just make beds!" (Yep, Aussie nurses are underpaid).

Swap ya - I'll do your beds and bedpans, if you do my showers!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I hate washing people! I get a LOT of weird looks if I ever admit to that. I ensure I always do wash my patients, of course, and I don't spend hours whining about it or do a half-hearted job, but I can't say I enjoy anything about showering people.

I don't mind making beds, especially on a Sunday when I get time and three quarters. I make a couple and think "Haha, another $40 just make beds!" (Yep, Aussie nurses are underpaid).

Swap ya - I'll do your beds and bedpans, if you do my showers!

40 dollars?!? How much do you get paid? Maybe I'm moving to australia!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

hahaha, I hate bedmaking also, but! after being in the army I can make a bed like no other. No teacher is as picky about wrinkles and corners as a drill sergeant who's goal is to break you down.

So, I just make my beds and think to myself, At least I'm not being yelled at and doing push ups!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I'm the worlds worst bedmaker. I frequently tell my patients "rest assured that I graduated with Honors, but I flunked bedmaking". :)

Hang in there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Bed making is easy if it is unoccupied bed... but if it is occupied... apply body mechanics... :)

I wish your patient is not bigger than you... in there, you'll gonna have a problem...

Good luck in bed making! :))

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment