Protocol for dirty linen?

[NRuiz]

Hello there,

I hope you are all having a wonderful day or night, whatever time it may be :)

I just wanted some insight about something. I am a CNA who has been working on a med/surg floor for several years now, and am curious about something.

When changing a patient who has messed the bed, it is common for the nurse or aide to toss the dirty linen to a pile on the floor, rather than having a linen cart in the room and putting it directly inside. This has always made me somewhat uncomfortable and I try to bring the cart in with me and use it appropriately. However, I've noticed that this is not a common practice; the floor piles are. After the change is done, the pile is picked up and carried to the cart.

This is how I was shown, and nothing has been said about the exact protocol in linen disposal, and I was just wondering if this is normal in other hospitals too? Any thoughts? Thank you!

[ellaballet]

People put the dirty bed pan on the table while they're cleaning the patient and then go empty it out, not leave it around for a couple of hours haha thank god not that gross. I've seen a lot of patients insist on having the urinal on the table just so they can grab it when they need it...still ick.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

Its gross for sure and its an infection control issue. That being said, anyone who says they've never done it is full of it or doesn't do much changing of beds or people. I find it its sometimes unavoidable, but I do try not to do it if I have another option.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

There are some pts who actually want the pan/urinal on their tables so they use it themselves, on & off. Trying to put them away only angers the pts.

I know I wouldn't want them on my kitchen table but you can't argue with some folk. Go figure!

^^ This.

I know it's gross for residents to leave their urinals on their bedside tables all night, and you know it's gross and unsanitary. But many of my male residents demand on keeping them there for easy access during the night. What can you do?

This is their home and some concessions have to be made.

Just have staff empty them frequently and date them so they get changed out regularly.

[theantichick]

We have linen bag/stands in each room, but the lids don't stay open, and you can't always get to the cart to use the pedal to open it when you're in the middle of cleaning a big code brown on a 2-person turn. I had been doing the clean towel down and pile on top, but I pay attention to how other people manage, and I saw another nurse take a clean towel and fold it up and use it as a wedge to keep the cart lid open so we can toss the dirties straight in, and I've started doing that. I'm sure there's some infection control reason for the lids not staying open, but it makes no sense from a practical standpoint.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

I used to bring an empty pillowcase and roll the linen off the bed and stuff it in there. In NICU we throw a blanket on the floor and throw the linen on that.

[patientsafetygeek]

In agreement that sometimes the situation isn't optimal and in the name of safety and patient comfort, it may not hit the linen cart. For infection control, however, it would be prudent to put a barrier down prior to this if you can't get the cart to your area or maybe you didn't anticipate a full linen change. I'm glad to hear many are putting something down in this case. I used to put a few bath blankets down and tried to keep wet linen from penetrating the surface blanket. I used lots of towels and cloths anyway for baths, so it worked.

Love the idea of using a pillow case and rolling linen for the NICU! :)

Anyone out there an IC nurse or have access to guidelines? Curious to know if these are acceptable alternatives.

[Nikki0429]

I have searched for dirty linen protocol, regulations. When i change a bed or dress/ wash a pt. I have bags open and ready. My question is; is it ok for the bags to be on the floor? I have a bag for spiled disposables and a bag for soiled linen. I keep the bags open on the floor, i was told the bags have to go on a chair or the foot of the bed!!! For 17 years i have done this never an issue.

[BBP42]

^^ This.

I know it's gross for residents to leave their urinals on their bedside tables all night, and you know it's gross and unsanitary. But many of my male residents demand on keeping them there for easy access during the night. What can you do?

We have tried standing the urinal inside of a clean basin on the bedside table so at least the table itself remains clean. Better than nothing.