Is this normal?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

at the geriatric hospital where i did some volunteer work i noticed that the nurses use 1 pan of water to bathe 40 pts. some wards have 48.some nurses use two.i have never come across this before and was very grossed out by it.where i use to work each person was bathed with a separate pan of water.i discussed this with the nursing director and he told me he had been trying to get the nurses to stop this practice for a long time but to no avail.he also told me when i get registered i'll probably be doing the same thing.maybe.but i pray to god every night and ask him not to let me fall into that way of doing things.i understand it makes their work a lot easier but isn't this spreading bacteria and god knows what else?guess i have so much to learn.just wondering if any of you do this too and is it safe/healthy?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

NO it is not normal, yuck ,how would they like to be washed with the same water as everyone else?

Would say there is a cross contamination issue there. Should be fresh water for every patient and management should really be stopping this practice never mind just telling them it should be done in writing and warnings given

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No, this doesn't sound very clean to me! In fact, I was taught in CNA class that you change the water maybe two times during a bath for just one person. I can't imagine bathing 40-48 patients with just one bath bucket of water.

Kim :nono:

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:no:That is SOOOO gross!!! And a huge NO-NO!!:smackingf

We all develop short cuts but lets hope ours are not things such as that. When I did clinicals, they had an actual tub with a swing chair to lift et lower patients down into it. We had to disinfect it after every patient with the approved cleaner. Obviously that DON is not very effective at his job. If we did that here, you can bet once you were told that is a no-no, it would not be done again or you would not have a job. I am all for re-educating when there is a mistake made but anyone would know not to do this.

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ICK! I would sure hate to be the last one getting a bath. That practice needs to be stopped.

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ICK! I would sure hate to be the last one getting a bath. That practice needs to be stopped.

i'd hate to be the 2nd one getting a bath.

that's plain repulsive.

sad to read that a DON has such little control over his own staff.

leslie

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.

wow.......that is just.......really gross.

it is even gross to use the same bath basin for multiple patients (without disinfecting first). but to use the same bath water??? gross beyond words.

why are they insisting on doing this?

with 40 patients, they are certainly pressed for time. how far away is the water that this practice is a time-saver????

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the bathroom isn't too far away about 10-12ft.guess they probably just want to be done with it.heard one nurse say "why should we have to bother with them if their family can't be?" most of these pts are abandoned by their family and housed by goverment.i've even noticed some physical abuse and refused to worked on that ward ever again.one of the nursing assistants who worked on that ward told me and i quote "you ain't seen nothing yet" well i didn't want to see more and haven't been to that ward since.this assistant was heading the ward since there were not enough rn's to go around.i went home and cried and my husband asked why didn't i report it but i told him it'll just get swept under the carpet as usual.i felt sooo awful.they may be old but they are people too.wish there was something i could do.anyway thanks for your replies.

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ps.i have come into contact with few on other wards who are extremely nice.they use two tubs but are very patient and have offered me such encouragement.kudos to them.

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Specializes in LTC.

Gross..... I think I just threw up a little bit..... How could you even do that??? One word comes to mind.... NASTY :angryfire

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i'd hate to be the 2nd one getting a bath.

that's plain repulsive.

sad to read that a DON has such little control over his own staff.

leslie

After pt. #47, pt. #48 would be cleaner if he didn't get a bath from that dirty water. This is carrying water conservation too far.

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the bathroom isn't too far away about 10-12ft.guess they probably just want to be done with it.heard one nurse say "why should we have to bother with them if their family can't be?" most of these pts are abandoned by their family and housed by goverment.i've even noticed some physical abuse and refused to worked on that ward ever again.one of the nursing assistants who worked on that ward told me and i quote "you ain't seen nothing yet" well i didn't want to see more and haven't been to that ward since.this assistant was heading the ward since there were not enough rn's to go around.i went home and cried and my husband asked why didn't i report it but i told him it'll just get swept under the carpet as usual.i felt sooo awful.they may be old but they are people too.wish there was something i could do.anyway thanks for your replies.

is there any outside agency in your area overseeing nursing homes that you can report abuse to?

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