No soap?

Published

I recently started at a new facility, and I had to do a treatment that involved washing someone. I looked in the patient's basin for his soap, and couldn't find anything. I looked in the supply room, nothing. Finally I went to another nurse and asked "Where is the soap? I can't find any." She looked confused and said "...soap?"

I tried to explain that I was looking for some sort of body soap/body wash for the patients, and she finally said, "Oh, we only use the soap in the dispensers."

I nearly fell over. The antibacterial hand soap ... in the bathroom dispensers ... that dries out my hands if I use it! No wonder I'm doing so many skin treatments for wounds/rashes! I tried to explain that every other facility I've been in (nursing home, hospital) has used a little bar soap or bottle of body wash for each resident, but no one else had heard of such a thing. Is this common?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Never heard of that. I would not want that used on me or a family member. Some faciliites use the wipes you can warm in the microwave, but my hospital uses travel sized Dove soap. Much better if you ask me.

I hope this is not a common thing!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

It was very common in the ltc that I used to work for.. also always out of spoons, straws, linen, bibs, accucheck strips.. every week we were out of something

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, M/S,Nurse Supervisor, CNS.

Never heard of that. Fortunately the facilities I've worked at (hospitals and LTC) all used inidividual, single patient use bars of soap or bottles of liquid soap.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in family practice.

my facility has both but i do believe that the ones on the wall are the lotion soap. Cos we have the antibacterial and the lotion soap and then they give the pt the bar soaps (but the bar comes only with the cups and stuff) so if the pt stays longer than their soap they could use the one on the wall. We also have the travel size Johnson and Johnson set

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My hospital had no water yesterday and when it did come back on it was brown. gross

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

NO SOUP FOR YOU!

Oh wait this thread is about soap. Carry on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
NO SOUP FOR YOU!

Oh wait this thread is about soap. Carry on.

:lol2:

Thanks for the input, everyone. I'll check the dispensers in the bathrooms tomorrow to see if they're a special lotion soap.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Never heard of that... The LTC I was at for clinicals this semester had a "shower room" supply that consisted of body wash/soap for residents as well as shampoo and lotions, etc. Most of the residents had their own supplies, though.

The hospitals around here also have individual sets that they give patients with shampoo, body wash, deodorant, etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know you were doing a procedure requiring soap but just a little trick I learned...Lotion makes for a great, gentle cleanser. I like to use it in place of soap on delicate skin. Use a nice warm cloth to apply then give a little rinse and pat dry. It's less messy and does a really nice job of cleansing and moisturizing at the same time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

We use no soap and no bath basins. The bath basins are a major source of re-contamination. We use something like glad bags with disposable wipes and hibicleanse on everyone. It is not used for the perineal area or the face. Wall soap, is used for incontinence.

This has decreased our catheter related infections to zero. No bath basins period. No home soap. We can order a specific brand of lotion that does not counter act the antibacterial soap as well as a perineal spray that is gentler and has a disinfenctant.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A little shaving cream in the bathwater can be a good soap substitute too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion