perinea-genital carel help

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i know there have been several posts regarding this subject, and i have looked and read all of them and still could not find the answers. so here goes:

i just got done with the bed bath demonstration and head shampoo one too. now im gonna be performing the said topic. my question is: how do i approach the client? i was thinking, "now ma'am/sir. i will be cleaning your bottom and it shouldn't take very long.

now..i do i start with wiping the inner thighs? coz i find that i already accomplished that during the bed bath. if not..do i start out with just washing the vulva first if female? then proceed to do the stroke of "7" towards the orifice?

now..for the males..in my fundamentals of nursing book..it just says wash, clean, and dry the member. do i start at the glans? and proceed to the shaft? then scrotum?

i know it's a lot questions..yeah..1st post as well.. thanks guys.

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o c'mon guys..this topic's been viewed 17x..and no feedback.

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Okay...maybe I can give you some feedback on this one. I'm not a nurse but have been a MA (ob/gyn) for about 10 years. Before that a CNA...so got a little experience here. (that and I got the goods) If the patient is young, (and by young I mean not a member of AARP) then yes...try to identify "more" of what your doing. ie: "I have to wash your bottom area now." Now I'm not saying that the older folks shouldn't get the same treatment as far as explaining...just that they tend to be a little more used to....uhh...these things. I have found in my experience that saying the clinical terms don't go over so well. People tend to understand and be a little more comfortable with the words bottom or rear-end or backside whatever vs peri-area lingo. As a CNA I was taught by a very old school nurse (cap and all). Wash everthing (body-wise) up to the groin area, with women inner thighs, then start at the vulva working around to the orifice. With men think same direction...think working clean area to the dirtiest area. On men that can be the scrotum first then the member then the orifice. Or if they have BM issues could mean the member, scrotum then the orifice. (women usually don't have the goods "hanging" down in something less desirable like poopy). Really your goal is, as long as the patient is comfortable and your following proper procedure..then your doing well. Hope this helps some and good luck on furture....bed baths.

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Specializes in LTC, Nursing Management, WCC.
Okay...maybe I can give you some feedback on this one. I'm not a nurse but have been a MA (ob/gyn) for about 10 years. Before that a CNA...so got a little experience here. (that and I got the goods) If the patient is young, (and by young I mean not a member of AARP) then yes...try to identify "more" of what your doing. ie: "I have to wash your bottom area now." Now I'm not saying that the older folks shouldn't get the same treatment as far as explaining...just that they tend to be a little more used to....uhh...these things. I have found in my experience that saying the clinical terms don't go over so well. People tend to understand and be a little more comfortable with the words bottom or rear-end or backside whatever vs peri-area lingo. As a CNA I was taught by a very old school nurse (cap and all). Wash everthing (body-wise) up to the groin area, with women inner thighs, then start at the vulva working around to the orifice. With men think same direction...think working clean area to the dirtiest area. On men that can be the scrotum first then the member then the orifice. Or if they have BM issues could mean the member, scrotum then the orifice. (women usually don't have the goods "hanging" down in something less desirable like poopy). Really your goal is, as long as the patient is comfortable and your following proper procedure..then your doing well. Hope this helps some and good luck on furture....bed baths.

I would wash the member first, then the scrotum and then the orifice. The scrotum is not the cleanest of places, so you could be carrying germs from the scrotum to the member.

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If your patient is at all able to participate in his or her own care, here is some advice I got years ago during my Med/Surg I clinical. My instructor told us that she would tell the patient she would wash them from the head down as far as possible, then she would wash from the legs up as far as possible. Then she would hand them a prepared wash cloth and let them wash "possible." Meaning the peri area, of course. Unless a patient was truly debilitated, he or she usually really appreciated that little bit of dignity.

Patients can be placed on their sides so that the peri area is accessible from behind. Makes buttocks easier to spread, visualize, clean and dry properly. It also draws a distinction between the delicate frontal areas (both male and female) and the orifice.

I'm curious. Have you received any instruction on how to do this part of the bath?

Best wishes.

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^^

yes.. i have. i guess i was just over thinking it.

i performed it today..did well on it..just step by step...haha.

thanks for all the help..and i really like this board..

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Psychnursewannabe...good call I agree. Glad to have others imput as well.

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Indeed. The general rules is to let them do as much as possible.

Everything else goes front to back. Always front to back.

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awe come on champ you gotta get passed the uncomfortable feelings about that. The patient will most likely be able to help themselves and if not u just get in there and follow basics clean to dirty, that means start at tip of member and go down. same goes for females and the orifice. cleanest to dirtiest

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