Tips on making that ICU bed look perfect after a bath

[bluesky]

Hey folks.

I completely admire those gifted nurses who are able to make their patients look and smell like a commercial for the 4 seasons after the bed bath. I am so bad at it... any advice?

Thanks

[tri-rn]

I'm curious...what shift are all of you thorough bathers working? I work days and we are so hectic...most of the time I'm grateful to get my patients (we normally have two in a combined MICU/SICU) a bed bath, linen change and oral care....shaving and hair washing is a luxury that I can rarely afford (although I do it when I can).

[athena55, BSN, RN]

I like that you cover up parts not being washed...does anyone ever offer backrubs to stable patients?

{{Raising my hand up}} I DO...and at my old civilian job I used to get "yelled at" for doing that. [i also used to walk around the unit, at about 22:00 or so, and offer my patient's who weren't NPO a cuppa (tea, hot chocolate)] One or two of the other nurses on the next shift would complain that I was making their jobs harder because many of the patient's would ask for a "back rub" or a cuppa, and when a particular nurse stated she didn't have the time, the patient would reply, "Well athena did!"

I always will offer a back rub, several times during the shift. Of course I am back in the ICU so I can offer them more frequently.

athena

[RN Joe 86]

Basically, have them presentable as if you would expect your own mother or father to look if they were in the unit. PS, speaking of ICU bed change/ wash, as turning a patient with ARDS to the side to clean his bum bum the other day the turn put him into an SVT. Yikes! Remember, even bed changes/ washes have their risks. Cheers!

[NIUredblack]

We have this Johnson and Johnson no more tears hair detangler that smells like apples. I like to put that in the bath water. Also, I think that scrubbing bar soap into washrags gets 'em nice and clean too.

For the room, I notice that stuff just seems to collect the longer a pt is there. I like to put unnecessary items in a belonging bag and store in the closet to free up counter space. Makes things look like they are in control. When stuff is strewn everywhere it just looks chaos.