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Discussion

Residents and bathing

My position for most of the time at work is as a shower aide. I really don't have much trouble anymore with getting residents to bathe with the exception of one resident. She is still fairly cognitively intact. She hates having to bathe. She is an avid smoker and you can smell it all the time. We have her scheduled for twice a week showers to meet state requirements and I even went as far to schedule her for only baths or whirlpools but she still refuses to bathe more than once a week. She will even admit that the bath water makes her disgusted as she finishes but it hasn't been enough to get her to take her twice a week scheduled baths. There have been other issues with her wanting to go around state mandated rules but this is the one I battle with her over the most. How do you all handle those residents who refuse to bathe? The nurses know about this, too, and I have documented her refusals and reasons, too. I do not believe we received any deficiencies for this during survey/inspection.

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    I've found that sometimes you have to (politely) let the resident know that they have an unpleasant odor. They might not realize that it's that noticeable to other people, so just bringing it up could change their mind.

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    Would something like this Whiteley Corporation | Dermalux Soft Towel Lotion work for her? I have also "threatened" a resident once when they wouldn't shower with stripping them down and chucking them outside under the sprinkler, that became a standing joke with us though and it worked to get them in the shower twice a week.

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    I know at least where I work, state mandated or not if she's with it she has a right to refuse ANY care, including showers. When I worked in LTC there were patients who we could convince to take a shower maybe once a month. I just make sure to use lots of soap and water with their morning bed baths. They all tell me that no one used to shower when they were my age, our generation bathes too much, etc. Sometimes I don't blame them, I wouldn't want someone to strip me down and spray me with water that doesn't stay warm for too long...

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    It's her choice whether she bathes or not. Even if she smells, she has the right to refuse. Just keep documenting her refusal to cover your behind.

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    I hate to say it, but there was one Resident in a facility I worked at who had not showered in a year. I wish I were kidding. The Director of Nursing knew about it and every nurse on that side of the facility. If they refuse, they refuse.

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    I hate to say it but there was one Resident in a facility I worked at who had not showered in a year. I wish I were kidding. The Director of Nursing knew about it and every nurse on that side of the facility. If they refuse, they refuse.[/quote']

    Wow a whole year gessh

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    I once cared for a woman with a colostomy bag that would explode daily and would scream bloody murder if we tried to clean her with soap and water after...She would dab it with toilet paper. I don't know if I ever saw heard about her showering...lol. There are all sorts of people in the world huh?

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