pt enjoys pericare too much...

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My sister works in LTC, just started this place a month or so ago (I work L&D). Anyway she has a pt who seems to enjoy being cleaned after using the bedpan. She says things when being cleaned, like "THERE, THERE, RIGHT THERE", and today it was "wipe my lady parts deeper". Yuck. :uhoh21: I don't know how "with it" or not she is, she is able to feed herself, so I'm thinking why couldn't they adapt a way for her to clean herself while still in bed. Any ideas??

...but I also agree it was unprofessional, said to anybody.

It may have been unprofessionally said but According to Maslow sex is not the priority basic need. Food, Water, Air, and physiological needs are. She should know that she is acting horny and that its not a bad behavior but that there is a time and place for it.;)

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Specializes in LTC.

I didn't read all the responses, so I may be repeating, but this can't go on. What if the resident could call sexual harassment on your sister, which seems like she'd have a case? I'll just say it -- ick. Most of the time, unless it's a larger woman, she should be able to do peri cares if she can feed herself. We're supposed to encourage it anyway, so next time tell your sister to say, "Okay, let's clean up now," and hand her the washcloth. And, of course, the nurse needs to be charting on this every time.

It's no different than when we have male residents say the same things -- OF COURSE all the CNAs go running to the nurse and tell them about it, but it's just strange when a female resident says it! Unless dementia is the case, I don't really allow any of it, I don't have to be harassed or accused of sexual harassment one day. I tell them it's not needed and that I'm only trying to clean them up, and that the supervisors will be notified.

We had a male resident who was a little person, and he had to hop up onto the toilet because of this. In the process he would always pinch his scrotum with the toilet seat, and one day as the nurse came to put some ointment on the wound, he said, "Hey that feels pretty good, it's been a while." The nurse was disgusted, as she should be, and threw down everything and said, "[Greg], that's really gross, and trust me, that's not what I'm here for." This resident is totally with it and everything, he just gets inappropriate at times. The nurse said she wouldn't have left the resident if it weren't during the day with other supervisors there, but instead just told them about it later. But our administrator did talk to him about it and he apologized to the nurse. But it was totally uncalled for and I don't blame her for getting upset -- we're performing a service and we don't have to be harassed while doing so, we're busy enough!

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Sorry but I had to giggle when I read the first line of your post...mainly because I have encountered so many of these types. The best one was a man who would get the new staff who didn't know better to shave his peri area, telling them we all did that for him to prevent infection lol. A new CNA finally came to me after a month of weekly shavings asking me how this prevents infection! I wanted to laugh but calmly explained the situation...poor girl.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Tee Hee,

I had a 100yo female once ask me to scratch her lady parts because it was itching (she had a foley). I told her that I could not do that but that I would assess for irritation and get meds if need be. We still chuckle about that.

Amy

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Specializes in CCU, ICU, Cardio Pul', Hospice.

I've had several patients like that.. they can be nasty little buggers... once even had a guy that kept calling me to the room and I would ask what he needed.... he would just look at me and say nothing. He did this about 5 times one night.. then the last time I went in he asked me if I could clean him up.

I walked over and looked at him... he had had his own little party.... I walked over to the sink.. got a soapy wash cloth, a clean wet wash cloth and a dry towel... tossed it at him.. and said.. if you can make the mess you can clean it up yourself....... and walked out of the room. He never did that to me again... as a matter of fact.. he wouldn't even look me in the face when I came in to give him his meds.

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Specializes in CCU, ICU, Cardio Pul', Hospice.

I've had several patients like that.. they can be nasty little buggers... once even had a guy that kept calling me to the room and I would ask what he needed.... he would just look at me and say nothing. He did this about 5 times one night.. then the last time I went in he asked me if I could clean him up.

I walked over and looked at him... he had had his own little party.... I walked over to the sink.. got a soapy wash cloth, a clean wet wash cloth and a dry towel... tossed it at him.. and said.. if you can make the mess you can clean it up yourself....... and walked out of the room. He never did that to me again... as a matter of fact.. he wouldn't even look me in the face when I came in to give him his meds.

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Specializes in LTC.

Our LTC therapy dept. just got in pericare brushes for our pts. They are similar to the lufa brushes you see in bath and beyond but have a velcro type pad on the end of the wand were the pt can wipe then change the paper. It also has a swivel head. This may help that pt keep herself clean and feeling good.LOL

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no. 17 from lovingtheunloved

post_old.gif dec 10, 2004, 08:34 pm

originally posted by hangel

agreed, unprofessional... but with the whopping 40 hours of training for na's, i'm not sure what people expect. professionalism isn't addressed in na school, as na's aren't to be treated like professionals according to most... i'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but i honestly think this is the truth... they're not addressed in a way that is professional, typically, they learn nothing about professionalism in the brief education, and they're not encouraged to act as professionals (but rather as scut workers who not only have their assigned duties but also are to be at the beck and call of all patients and staff)... again, not trying to be a jerk, but sometimes i think staff and mgmt expect na's to have the professional attitude of the
nurse
while they are not treated or trained to function in this capacity...

hangel

i'm a cna, and granted, we weren't taught how to respond "professionally" to these situations. however, i know better because my mama taught me manners. i can't imagine someone thinking it's okay to tell a patient that they're "acting all horny." that's not taught professionalism, that's common sense.

well, speaking for myself, and all the other cnas i'm aware of, the national minimum of hours required for completion of the cna course is 75, with many states requiring much more. i too, am familiar with maslows pyramid, obra, and many other "minor" details such as the psychological and social changes associated with growing older, such as real or perceived sexually aggressive behavior. might causes have included anything along the lines of,ohhh i don't know..a nervous system disorder? confusion,disorientation,or dementia? any number of complications that could have arisen due to the side effects of pt.s meds? hmm..food for thought. o.k..devils advocate..what if it was intentional inappropriate behavior? all we are to do, is to explain what behaviors make us uncomfortable, and to politely ask the person not to act that way. for that matter, if a patient were to be in the act of "taking matters into their own hands", so to speak, all we may do legally, is lead them to their room, tell them when we will return, and afford them the privacy they so obviously need. to infer that i am not professionally trained, much less to make the statement that i "am not to be treated as a professional" is insulting to say the very least. we may be lower on the food-chain there, "lovingtheunloved", but i'll tell you right now that we are the front line of the nursing profession,and as such, are the eyes & ears of every nurse here, including you, if that is your title. believe it.

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Specializes in Legal, Ortho, Rehab.
Lotsa weird ones out there...

Anyway, her favorite trick was to shove the call light up her hoohah.

I will never think of the call light in the same fashion ever again...

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Since the Federal Regs state that we are to develop an individual care plan with the goal of improving function, or preventing a decline in function, etc. I would think that it is perfectly acceptable to assess this residents ability to perform her own peri care. As in get the supplies ready, hand her some peri care and wash cloth, close the curtains for privacy and allow her to clean herself how ever she sees fit.

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