Patient Care Technician: Hygiene and Bathing Guidelines

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering patient care technician responsibilities, ADL assistance principles, safety standards, and bathing procedures.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Essential personal tasks including bathing, eating, going to the bathroom, and oral care.

Patient Care Technicians

Caregivers responsible for performing tasks assigned by the nurse, including bed-making, assisting with ADLs, taking vital signs, transferring patients, helping with assistive devices, and reporting changes in condition.

Goal of ADL Assistance

To foster independence by enabling patients to do as much of their own care as possible while keeping them safe.

Bed Bath Supplies

Specific items required for bathing a patient in bed, consisting of a bath blanket, washbasin, clean bed linen, and a laundry bag.

Shower Chair

An assistive seating device that can be helpful in the shower or tub if a mobile patient becomes fatigued or unsteady.

Routine Bath Water Temperature

The recommended water temperature for most standard baths, set between $40.5^{\circ}\text{C}$ and $43.3^{\circ}\text{C}$ ($105^{\circ}\text{F}$ to $110^{\circ}\text{F}$).

General Bathwater Temperature Range

The allowable range for bathwater depending on bath purpose and desired temperature, extending from $98.6^{\circ}\text{F}$ to $115^{\circ}\text{F}$.

Cleanest to Dirtiest Washing Technique

The sequence in which a patient is washed to prevent contamination, utilizing long, firm strokes to stimulate circulation.

Patting Motion

A gentle towel-drying technique used instead of vigorous rubbing to prevent skin injury and breakdown, particularly in older adult patients with fragile skin.

Bed Rail Safety Protocol

Keeping the bed rail elevated on the opposite side during bed baths to prevent the patient from rolling off the bed.

Moisture Protection

Shielding IV sites and surgical incisions from water contact during bathing to avoid infection.