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You know I was "floored" when the prof said today(1st class in NS) that for our first skills lab next week, we will be learing how to give bed baths. To to so, and mostly to understand how the patient really feels about being given a bed bath, we have to give bed baths to each other. So we have to bring our swimsuits, towels, toothbrushes(for mouth care), our soap if we wish, or she can provide the soap.
Yes, for real!!
We learned bed baths in CNA class, there was no dress code but since it was summer everyone came to class in shorts and t-shirts anyway. Personally I think bathing suits (or less!) are extreme and I completely disagree with the "we-do-this-so-you'll-know-how-the-patient-feels" mantra... it's a completely different situation. I'm sure any patient would tell you that getting a bed bath in private from a professional member of the nursing staff is far different an experience than if their co-workers were invited to the hospital to give them that bed bath. And that's what schools are doing to nursing students, making them expose themselves to their peers. It's unnecessary and inappropriate.
It was so frightening to be bathed by someone else or be fed by someone else. I had to eat yogurt and it is hard to just eat bite after bite on someone else's schedule. When we had to change an occupied bed, I couldn't hear a word that the students said to me when I was on my side, and they took a while so my arm started to hurt. Everytime I change a bed or feed/bathe someone, I remember how it felt. I will lean over and tell them what I am doing, or take my time with things. To those who think that it isn't such a great idea, I'm sorry. I won't ever forget how vulnerable I felt.
Our instructor told us that in the first week of classes we would do baths on each other then on to the enemas.... :uhoh21: I thought she was kidding.... well she was about the enemas but not the bath.... then she came to school in her swimmy suit. too small & see through. she was expecting us to give her back rubs. can we all say backne yuck
We learned bed baths in CNA class, there was no dress code but since it was summer everyone came to class in shorts and t-shirts anyway. Personally I think bathing suits (or less!) are extreme and I completely disagree with the "we-do-this-so-you'll-know-how-the-patient-feels" mantra... it's a completely different situation. I'm sure any patient would tell you that getting a bed bath in private from a professional member of the nursing staff is far different an experience than if their co-workers were invited to the hospital to give them that bed bath. And that's what schools are doing to nursing students, making them expose themselves to their peers. It's unnecessary and inappropriate.
Unless you've had a bed bath in private from a professional member of the nursing staff you will not know what it is like. I have had instructors who taught me the importance of understanding that patient can feel vulnerable when bathing: lack of/invasion of privacy (other staff coming in, doctors interrupting, etc), feeling exposed (sound familiar), feeling helpless/useless, feelings of embarrassment, lack of control (you're being bathed on another's schedule, not your own), and feelings of disrespect (inappropriate comments, attitude, facial expressons from staff). This list could go on.
I've also seen many "professionals" not cover patients (bath blanket over parts not being washed) nor ensure adequate privacy (closing doors/curtains).
"I'm sure any patient would tell you that getting a bath from a profession member of the nursing staff is a far different experience than if their co-workers were invited to the hospital to give them a bath"
Aside from nurses who may have been patients being the only ones who could tell you if it is a "far different experience" receiving a bath from professionals as opposed to co-workers who being invited in to bath, OH wait, I've had nurse colleagues as patients, so not only did they receive a bath from a professional, they also received a bath from someone they worked with.
You are not going to find any patient (who is not an RN/LPN/CNA) who will/can tell you that if is a "far different experience" receiving a bath from a professional as opposed to inviting their co-workers in to assist with their bathing, since inviting persons from other professions not employed by the facility to bath would be a direct violation of any policy and procedure in any hospital.
I'm sure you will find numerous patients who will complain about the lack of privacy, being exposed, along with list of other complaints concerning bathing by professional staff.
The purpose of the "we-do-this-so-you'll-know-what-the-patient-feels" is to help foster empathy towards patients in this situation. It IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT situation in that it is being done as a learning exercise. Exposing yourself to peers in a training situation doesn't even come close to what a patient may be feeling.
We learned bed baths in CNA class, there was no dress code but since it was summer everyone came to class in shorts and t-shirts anyway. Personally I think bathing suits (or less!) are extreme and I completely disagree with the "we-do-this-so-you'll-know-how-the-patient-feels" mantra... it's a completely different situation. I'm sure any patient would tell you that getting a bed bath in private from a professional member of the nursing staff is far different an experience than if their co-workers were invited to the hospital to give them that bed bath. And that's what schools are doing to nursing students, making them expose themselves to their peers. It's unnecessary and inappropriate.
I totally agree with you that it is innapropriate. I mean, I think the students realize what it feels like. Plus, working as a nursing assistant in a hospital, 99% of the time the patient is grateful for a bed bath. I think it is totally unnecessary to make the students expose themselves to each other, to me it seems somewhat demening. I am just so grateful that my nursing instructors didn't stoop that low! If I were in that class, I would tell the instructor that they needed to do it too!
I totally agree with you that it is innapropriate. I mean, I think the students realize what it feels like. Plus, working as a nursing assistant in a hospital, 99% of the time the patient is grateful for a bed bath. I think it is totally unnecessary to make the students expose themselves to each other, to me it seems somewhat demening. I am just so grateful that my nursing instructors didn't stoop that low! If I were in that class, I would tell the instructor that they needed to do it too!
The instructors that taught me HAD also done this as student nurses. The instructors are not "stooping low" have nursing students do this. They are trying to teach nursing students to be empathetic when it comes to bed bathing. I think it's unfortunate your instructors didn't have you perform this exercise.
The instructors that taught me HAD also done this as student nurses. The instructors are not "stooping low" have nursing students do this. They are trying to teach nursing students to be empathetic when it comes to bed bathing. I think it's unfortunate your instructors didn't have you perform this exercise.
Sorry, but I think the instructor's aren't being too sensitive to some of the student's cultures. Every time I have been hospitalized and unable to perform my own hygiene care, I have had a family member perform that care for me. Unless it involved something like catheterization. Mostly for me it's due to preference, but what if there was a student who could not show her bare skin due to RELIGIOUS beliefs???
Also, what if there was a student who had a HX of sexual abuse???? Could cause some mental anguish there.
Sorry, but I think the instructor's aren't being too sensitive to some of the student's cultures. Every time I have been hospitalized and unable to perform my own hygiene care, I have had a family member perform that care for me. Unless it involved something like catheterization. Mostly for me it's due to preference, but what if there was a student who could not show her bare skin due to RELIGIOUS beliefs???Also, what if there was a student who had a HX of sexual abuse???? Could cause some mental anguish there.
If that was the case I'm positive the insturctor would understand and excuse the student. I highly doubt there's an instructor out there that would say "Who cares about your religion/history of sexual abuse! Strip down!"
GrnHonu99, RN
1,459 Posts
For our practical exam in our health assessment class we had to bring a partner and perform a head to toe assessment. I used a fellow classmate and she used me. We had to be in our bras and underwear so that the instructor could see what we were doing....they gave us gowns but it was still really embarrassing...I mean these are people I respect and they are seeing me half naked!!! Atleast it wasnt my male instructor...I know hes a health professional but I would have been sooo embarrassed!!! Atleast we had the curtain for privacy!