is it wrong to sit on a patients bed?

[LPNweezy]

My nursing instructor told me once to never ever sit on a patients bed. I work at a LTC facility and i see some nurses sitting on the side of the bed with alert and oriented patients when they are counseling them or trying to cheer them up. What do you think about this practice? please keep in mind that this is not a hospital setting. thanks :)

[BluegrassRN]

I think it's fine. I sit on the edge of my patients' beds sometimes when I'm talking to them. I'm in the hospital setting.

[Batman25]

I've done it as well. It seems more human than standing over them when they are upset, need a comforting word, instructions will take a bit, etc. This is my fave time with patients. I wish we could spend a little more time with them.

[LPNweezy]

Okay good, i'm still a new nurse, and despite what i've learned, i have found myself counseling my pt's while sitting on the side of their bed. I just wondered if this was common practice. :)

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I've done it too. You have to consider who the patient is, the gut feelings you have about how he or she would feel about it, and the relationship you have with him or her. I agree with Batman that it's much nicer than standing over someone who's having an emotional upset. It helps take away the us vs. them feeling that can happen to people who need care-giving.

That being said, it's possible that your instructor said never sit on a patient's bed because you're a student, and it can avoid any problems you might have if you did sit on the bed. As a student your sense of what's ok isn't quite as honed as it will be when you have more experience.

[Liztacular]

My old clinical instructor would shriek in horror if we set anything on the bed ( like the glucose meter "tool box"), I'd hate to think of what she's say if she caught us sitting on a bed lol. I think it does show compassion, but I can also see the point of now wanting to get anything that might be on the bed on you and to other patients. How do you find any time for sitting anyways? lol

[Flo., BSN, RN]

I have done it. I usually ask "is it ok if I sit on your bed?"

[Hygiene Queen]

I do it when it just seems right.

I used to do it all the time when I used to feed people in bed.

The only problem I ever had was realizing the bed was wet :uhoh21:

Anyway, I go with what my instincts tell me.

Worst case scenario: the pt tells me to buzz off and I do.

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

I dont' think its wrong, but I've never done it. I pull up a chair if I need / want to sit with someone for a bit.

[RockinChick66]

DON'T DO IT!! Seriously, I just recently heard a nurse claiming that she caught the scabies mite from sitting on the pts bed. It makes sense to me. You never know what a patient may have. I certainly don't sit on the bed!

[AmericanRN]

lol I never thought I would do that but I have.I'm a hospital nurse and I definately sit at bedside with certain patients when I'm going over surgical or blood consent forms, especially if they were already anxious to begin with and now I come in there with something like that. There are a few times when I stood up and the pts themselves repeatedly asked me to sit on the bed with them or on the chair closest to them. I detest the unit I work on because we have 0 time for true pt care. Its all about Press Ganey scores & kissing butt. If we nurses were given time to actually act like humans & not automated fetching machines patient satisfaction would probably become a real thing instead of a marketing slogan designed. Now that said I won't sit on all pts beds some are just too bizzare or mentally unstable.

[Old.Timer]

don't do it!! seriously, i just recently heard a nurse claiming that she caught the scabies mite from sitting on the pts bed. it makes sense to me. you never know what these people may have. i certainly don't sit on the bed!

i can't think of the specific word i want, but "these people" seems so...........i don't know, dismissive, or totally disassociated or something along that line.