134
SKILL 7-1
Giving a bed bath
(continued)
Comments
Excellent
Satisfactory
Needs practice
Copyright © 2014 by Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Checklists for Clinical Nursing Skills by Louise Sparkes, Jennifer Bassett and Elisabeth Jacob.
15. Raise the bed side rails. Fill the basin with a sufficient
amount of comfortably warm water (43°C to 46°C) and
change the water as necessary throughout the bath. Lower
the side rail closest to you when you return to the bedside
to begin the bath.
16. Fold the washcloth like a mitt on your hand so that there
are no loose ends.
17. Lay a towel across the patient’s chest and on top of the
blanket.
18. With no soap on the washcloth, wipe one of the patient’s
eyes from the inner part of the eye, near the nose, to the
outer part. Rinse or turn the cloth before washing the
other eye.
19. Cleanse the patient’s face, neck and ears, avoiding soap on
the face if preferred. Rinse as necessary and dry.
20. Expose the patient’s far arm and place the towel
lengthwise under it. Using firm strokes, wash the hand,
arm and axilla, lifting the arm as necessary to access the
axillary region. Rinse if necessary and dry.
21. Place a folded towel on the bed next to the patient’s hand
and put the basin on the towel. Soak the patient’s hand in
the basin. Wash the hand, rinse if necessary and dry.
22. Repeat steps 20 and 21 for the arm nearer you.
Alternatively, to avoid back strain you can bathe one side
of the patient first and then move to the other side of the
bed to complete the bath.
23. Spread a towel across the patient’s chest. Lower the sheet
or blanket to the patient’s umbilical area. Wash, rinse
and dry the chest. Keep the chest covered with the towel
between the wash and rinse. Pay special attention to the
folds of skin under the breasts.
24. Lower the blanket to the perineal area. Place a towel over
the patient’s chest.
25. Wash, rinse and dry the abdomen. Carefully inspect
and clean the umbilical area and any abdominal folds or
creases.
26. Return the sheet or blanket to its original position and
expose the patient’s far leg. Place the towel under this leg.
Using firm strokes, wash, rinse and dry the leg from ankle
to knee and knee to groin.
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