Registered Nurse
Partial Literature Review:
Scope and Significance of the Problem
Hygiene and cleanliness are important parts of nursing care provided to hospitalized patients. Patients who are unable to bathe themselves are dependent on nursing staff for their hygienic needs. This population includes patients who are unable to care for themselves due to physical limitations such as age, bowel or bladder incontinence, injury and illness. The traditional bathing technique of soap and water provides good hygiene but dries out the skin. The use of wash clothes produces friction, is abrasive and leaves the patient at risk for skin breakdown and infection. This is a concern especially for the immobile, comatose, confused, and elderly patient populations. The use of water basins, wash cloths and towels increase the risk of cross contamination if proper bathing technique is not used. Water basins not properly cleaned harbor bacteria and when re-used can introduce bacteria on susceptible areas of skin. This is important to realize when providing hygiene to patients who are incontinent or have reddened areas on boney prominences that are at risk for breakdown.
Significance to Nursing Traditional bed bathing allows nurses to spend time with their patients, provide adequate skin care with lotions and good hygiene making patients feel better and clean. This type of bath is time- consuming for nurses. The increase in patient acuity and nurse- patient ratio has put many time constraints on nurses today. The place of the traditional soap and water bath in routine patient care is changing; and the use of anti-bacterial wipes provides effective hygiene when used together with emollients for skin care. Anti-bacterial wipes are being used in hospitals, long -term care facilities, and in some instances home care. Positive results in patient care are being validated in areas of skin care, infection reduction, and patient and nurse satisfaction.
Personal Connection to the Issue As an
Scope and Significance of the Problem
Hygiene and cleanliness are important parts of nursing care provided to hospitalized patients. Patients who are unable to bathe themselves are dependent on nursing staff for their hygienic needs. This population includes patients who are unable to care for themselves due to physical limitations such as age, bowel or bladder incontinence, injury and illness. The traditional bathing technique of soap and water provides good hygiene but dries out the skin. The use of wash clothes produces friction, is abrasive and leaves the patient at risk for skin breakdown and infection. This is a concern especially for the immobile, comatose, confused, and elderly patient populations. The use of water basins, wash cloths and towels increase the risk of cross contamination if proper bathing technique is not used. Water basins not properly cleaned harbor bacteria and when re-used can introduce bacteria on susceptible areas of skin. This is important to realize when providing hygiene to patients who are incontinent or have reddened areas on boney prominences that are at risk for breakdown.
Significance to Nursing Traditional bed bathing allows nurses to spend time with their patients, provide adequate skin care with lotions and good hygiene making patients feel better and clean. This type of bath is time- consuming for nurses. The increase in patient acuity and nurse- patient ratio has put many time constraints on nurses today. The place of the traditional soap and water bath in routine patient care is changing; and the use of anti-bacterial wipes provides effective hygiene when used together with emollients for skin care. Anti-bacterial wipes are being used in hospitals, long -term care facilities, and in some instances home care. Positive results in patient care are being validated in areas of skin care, infection reduction, and patient and nurse satisfaction.
Personal Connection to the Issue As an
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