Some Nurses too Almighty?

Published

OK, so when did they pass the memo out that states if you're an lpn you don't have to bathe a pt? That really ****** me off. No one is too good to NOT bathe a pt.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

My position on these matters is that you can't ask/order someone to do something you aren't willing to do yourself.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

It's nice to see that there are some who still believe that they are not to educated or trained to do "grunt work" like giving baths. I can sympathize with the nurses who are in situation where they have to delegate because they have to take care of something that only an LPN or RN can do, but it is great to lend a hand anyway and anytime you can that won't kill you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wonder if there are any nurses on this forum that refuse to give baths? I would really like to hear their thoughts

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

I just ran into one of those nurses who has a "desk job" I recently went for an interview for a Certified Phlebotomy Technician position. My resume states 19 years in medicine as an LPN and 5 years working in clinics with phlebotomy as one of my duties. I can't afford to take the refresher course here in GA (long story but I do maintain my license in OH)...anyway, so I'd called this recruiter asking her why I wasn't getting interviews for entry level Phleb jobs with my years of experience, so she sez well you have no hospital experience:banghead: and I reply yes I do when I worked as an LPN. Anyway I did badger her into an interveiw and I get there, the recruiter is all of 5 years old (well maybe 25ish on a good day) so after really badgering me about my leaving nursing after 19 years of experience, I ask for a card, because I ALWAYS send a thank you email note after an interview...this whipper snapper is an RN BSN :madface: and she just spent 30 mins giving me a hard time for leaving bedside nursing after 19 years and finally burn out for an entry level job as a CPT. So at the most, this woman would have had 4 years nursing experience before she became a recruiter and she's about as far away from bedside nursing as you can get...not even in the nursing Dept but HR...grrrrrr...no thank you note sent. She was one nasty piece of work so I guess it's good she has no patient contact:rolleyes:.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
I wonder if there are any nurses on this forum that refuse to give baths? I would really like to hear their thoughts

I hated giving baths as a student. My program didn't have much clinical time, and if you weren't very aggressive about doing procedures, baths were all you did. I have no problem bathing or changing patients now, but I didn't go to school just to give baths. I wanted to be more than a CNA that passed meds.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.
I hated giving baths as a student. My program didn't have much clinical time, and if you weren't very aggressive about doing procedures, baths were all you did. I have no problem bathing or changing patients now, but I didn't go to school just to give baths. I wanted to be more than a CNA that passed meds.

I agree. I worked as an aide before I became a nurse. I hated having to do baths when I was a student because I was there to learn the tasks of nursing that aides could not do. Clinical time as a student is limited enough. I did not like being treated as an "extra" aide for the floor. I always try to not treat nursing students as aides when they are assigned to my unit. How else are they going to be competent nurses if they are treated as aides?

On the other hand, I now wish I had time to bathe my patients.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Plastics. General Surgery. ITU. Oncology.

But you ARE teaching clinical skills and important communication skills too.

How do you know what a developing pressure sore looks like if you have never seen one? How can you assess the patient's capabilities, deficits and limitations if you do not engage in personal care?

I agree students should not be given only this sort of task. There is much else to learn but it is important.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hold on, are the current students saying they don't get assigned a patient to care for, for an entire day? We got them at shift care, did am care, meds, dsgs, etc. Nobody was ever stuck bathing every patient they could.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would also like to know why my walkie talkie patients are too good to wash as well.

Phew!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I would also like to know why my walkie talkie patients are too good to wash as well.

Phew!

Because from what we non-Americans read here, American patients think a trip to hospital is a cross between a hotel, spa, and healing centre.

Canadian and Britons go to hospital to obtain treatment. Plus we tend to ask our patients how they care for themselves at home and go "well, there you go, here's a washcloth, lets maintain your independance"

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Because from what we non-Americans read here, American patients think a trip to hospital is a cross between a hotel, spa, and healing centre.

Canadian and Britons go to hospital to obtain treatment. Plus we tend to ask our patients how they care for themselves at home and go "well, there you go, here's a washcloth, lets maintain your indepence"

And that's how it should be! I do not do for patients what patients can do for themselves. If they can't, I'm more than happy to assist, but if you're walking around the room, you don't have cholera, and you just crapped your pants..Congrats! You get a package of wipes, and no, neither I nor my co-workers will be doing your peri-care.

F*** Press Ganey.

:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
When I was in nursing school my instructor told me: "Anything a CNA/PCT does YOU can do also". Almost 4 years later and this statement has stuck with me. Does it make any sense to wait for assistive staff to toilet someone when you are right there in the room with them and have time????? Last shift one of the CNAs told me that I am almost the only nurse that will pitch in and help when I have time and that she really appreciates me. I'm of the opinion that if you have time to help somebody, anybody, then please pitch in; I don't care who you are.

Yes we all pitch in when we can BUT...while it's true that anything the CNA can do the nurse can do, the opposite is NOT true. Often I've been helping toilet and bathe all day, then when I need someone to help hold someone over to do a dressing no one is to be found, and I'm just starting to chart at 3pm while all the CNAs are breezing out, plus they had time for their lunch and multiple smoke breaks while I haven't left the floor once. I guess it all depends what type of facility you're in, how many patients you have, and a matter of striking a balance between helping and getting your own work done. I'm not always the best at finding that balance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion