New cna questions

Cna2122 · Aug 28, 2011

Sorry for stupid questions. I want to be good at my job but am scared to ask stupid questions at work. I start training in three days

What do you do after taking a patient off the bedpan? Like after I clean them up what do I do with the bedpan? Do I empty it in the toliet then scrub it in the sink? Those thick wipes can't be thrown in the toilet can they?

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Aug 28, 2011

There is no such thing as a stupid question.. I am a RN and take many of my pts off bedpans.. After removing the pan and cleaning the pt, I take the pan to the toilet and empty it. Our toilets have a sprayer and I use that to clean it out. I will also use wipes for really sticky messes and throw the wipes in the trash. I dry it with paper towels and leave it for the next time.. No, I never clean it in the sink.. I also take the trash out when I am done to eliminate the smell...

Hope this helps :)

Helpful hint, put baby powder on the rim of the bedpan for easy in and out with less friction on the pts bottom..

My last hospital had very cheap chucks and we lined the bedpans with those and just threw it away when done (no clean up needed).. The sprayers on the toilets were so strong; we ended up wearing the mess

Jenni811, RN · Aug 28, 2011

only stupid question is a question that goes on unasked.

Our hospital has the a faucet for us to wash bedpans out over a toliet. specifically designed for that. It goes into the toilet. You can use those thick wipes to wipe it out if you don't have the faucet things we do. And your correct, they cannot be flushed. So they go in the garbage. If your concerned about their "poo" showing in the garbage, just toss a papertowel over it or something. Shouldn't make the room smell. if it does, take out the trash.

assidere · Aug 28, 2011

Yep, never flush the wipes. And never rinse in the sink...

boogalina, ADN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN · Aug 28, 2011

Congratulations on your new job!

Most nursing homes have a "soiled utility" room

AKA "hopper room.". It will have a large low wide "toilet" down which you can flush the bedpan contents. Don't flush the wipes. There should be goggles and a heavy apron (plus gloves) to protect you/your clothing from the contents of the bedpan when you are spraying it out.

The hopper room is very handy if there isn't a bathroom adjoining your resident's room.

Good luck!

AJPV · Aug 28, 2011

Okay - what about the little graduated cups (they hold around 200 CC) that we use to empty JP's & Hemavacs? Is it okay to dump & rinse those in the sink, or do you do those over the toilet also? I've been using the sink because I'm uneasy about bringing anything that comes close to the pt's bloodstream close to the toilet and the faucet sprayer that is over the toilet. I know you're probably not supposed to allow the cup to touch the spout in the Hemavac or JP device, but who knows if another tech or nurse might allow it to touch? I'd never want e-coli from the toilet sprayer getting into the wound vac!

Darkstar1485, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Aug 28, 2011

Sorry for stupid questions. I want to be good at my job but am scared to ask stupid questions at work. I start training in three days
What do you do after taking a patient off the bedpan? Like after I clean them up what do I do with the bedpan? Do I empty it in the toliet then scrub it in the sink? Those thick wipes can't be thrown in the toilet can they?

Stupid questions are questions that are asked AFTER you did something stupid bc you didn't bother to ask before the action. You cover the bedpan and take it to the patient bathroom. Then there should be a little shower type pipe thing over the toilet. empty contents into the toilet b4 rinsing the bedpan. NEVER rinse the bedpan in the sink. its a health hazard and could get you in BIG trouble if someone sees you doing that. throw wipes in trash.

Poi Dog · Aug 28, 2011

Helpful hint, put baby powder on the rim of the bedpan for easy in and out with less friction on the pts bottom..
My last hospital had very cheap chucks and we lined the bedpans with those and just threw it away when done (no clean up needed).. The sprayers on the toilets were so strong; we ended up wearing the mess

I agree with the chux idea. Glove up, line, put under patient, remove, toss chux, rinse bedpan, wash hands. :smokin:

Ask away!

assidere · Aug 28, 2011

Okay - what about the little graduated cups (they hold around 200 CC) that we use to empty JP's & Hemavacs? Is it okay to dump & rinse those in the sink, or do you do those over the toilet also? I've been using the sink because I'm uneasy about bringing anything that comes close to the pt's bloodstream close to the toilet and the faucet sprayer that is over the toilet. I know you're probably not supposed to allow the cup to touch the spout in the Hemavac or JP device, but who knows if another tech or nurse might allow it to touch? I'd never want e-coli from the toilet sprayer getting into the wound vac!

If you're worried about spray, find an isolation gown to wear while rinsing it out. The yellow ones are alright, but the dialysis ones (thicker, blue vinyl stuff) are the best at keeping you from getting anything on your nice clean uni.

You are correct, you certainly shouldn't touch the cup and the drain spout. I usually just flush any body fluid down the toilet (its helps being a guy and having longer reach), and using cavi-wipes on my scrub pants/shoes if I think there was a spray issue [if i'm not wearing the isolation gown I mean]

AJPV · Aug 28, 2011

Thanks on the JP/hemavac answer!

blackbird singing · Aug 29, 2011

Helpful hint, put baby powder on the rim of the bedpan for easy in and out with less friction on the pts bottom..

Thanks for this! I'm new and I will be trying this next time because they always stick (and then I'm bound to make a mess).