Showers in nursing home

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Is there a rule/law/guidance/statute that dictates how many showers a week a resident should get? At my nursing home we have to give 2 showers a week to each one but my Dad is in a nursing home in another state and he practically has to beg to get one every other week. Today, again, he did not get his shower. The CNA told him she "forgot'. I told him he should report it to the nurse but he doesn't want to complain and cause trouble.

I'm hesitating to call the home cause I don't want to make any accusations until I know what the rules are. I know there must be some governing body that determines these things but I'm not sure what it is.

Thanks for any feedback!

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Specializes in Cardiac Stepdown, PCU.

As far as I am aware there are no rules other than what the facility sets for policy. I'd call and complain. Or inquire. Your father said he isn't getting his showers regularly. What's going on? What is their policy? That's all you need. You (or your insurance) are paying these people to care for your father. I'd make a tidal wave if my parent wasn't being taken care of in a way that made him or her comfortable and happy (within reason of course). I don't care if the cna forgot or didn't have time. It's her job to have time. It's her job to make sure he has his shower and the nurse's to follow up and step in to help. They can give him a shower in the afternoon. Or evening. If doesn't have to be limited to morning.

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Well my sister is dealing with it cause she lives in the same state as the nursing home (15 minute car ride), but she is hesitant like me to complain. Cause so far he has had pretty good care. My sister is going to contact the ombudsman but we don't want to get anyone in trouble. Just get information. Where I work we require the residents to be showered at least twice a week and when we get inspected they look closely at the shower books. So, I doubt there's a law, but maybe just a "standard" of care. But I live six states away.

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Specializes in LTC.

A call to the D.O.N. will get you the info you need. Simply ask what their policy is on showers then proceed to tell him/her what your father is saying. Let them investigate. If he's not getting showers like he's supposed to someone needs to be reprimanded. It's not ok to let anyone go over a week without a shower.

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Where I work it is once a week and I think it's a state rule.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I don't know if every state has a regulation about the number of showers. We used to give them once a week but since the population is changing and residents tend to be younger, they are now scheduled for twice a week. Some places are really resident centered so if you wanted a shower every day, you would have a shower every day. Sadly, those places are few and far between.

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Forget reporting it to the nurse. Report it to the state. This is neglect.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Don't call the state without giving the DON a chance to respond. She might not know every detail about every resident's care, and not to say this is your father's case, but quite often residents flat out refuse to get bathed and then complain to their family members that they haven't had a bath.

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

Exactly as CCM said. Start with the DON and administrator of the nursing home. It is their job to handle such concerns & if he has been receiving "pretty good care all along" there is no reason to think this issue won't be handled well.

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Not sure every place is the same but at my facility we try and give them once a week at least. Yours may be different but am pretty sure once every other week would not be policy.

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This is true. Sometimes someone is scheduled for an AM shower (or vice-versa) and refuses because they don't want to stop what they're doing and then wants one later when there isn't time because the people actually scheduled are being showered. Somehow the family only hears about the second part. Where I work now the caregivers have to turn in shower sheets and the residents have to sign if they decline. Obviously some of them then refuse to sign as well and I get dragged into it and have to go over and witness the caregiver attempting to get it signed and then note that I witnessed it then sign and date. I've considered becoming a notary so I can use one of the rubber stamps on them for the sake of entertaining myself.

"Why is mom's shower refusal notarized...?"

"We don't take skin care lightly, sir."

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Specializes in PMHNP-BC.
Don't call the state without giving the DON a chance to respond. She might not know every detail about every resident's care, and not to say this is your father's case, but quite often residents flat out refuse to get bathed and then complain to their family members that they haven't had a bath.

I have seen this happen so much!

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