Hygiene Cares in Patient Care

Hygiene Care Essentials

• Bathing a patient requires towels, bath blanket, wash basin, soap, face cloths, and deodorant to promote cleanliness, remove dirt and bacteria, and enhance blood circulation.
• Perineal care necessitates gloves, bath blanket, paper towels, wash cloths, bed protector, towels, soap, wash basin, clean clothes, and clean linen to prevent infection, odors, and irritation.
• Nail and foot care requires a wash basin, warm water, soap, lotion, two washcloths, one towel, a barrier, gloves, a manicure stick, an emery board, a nail clipper, and a linen bag or hamper to facilitate early recognition of skin changes and prevent pressure damage and skin tears.
• Oral hygiene care involves using gloves, toothbrush, toothpaste, emesis/oral basin, cup of water, clothing protector (towel), barrier (paper towel), and linen bag or hamper to maintain good oral cavity hygiene and prevent severe effects on oral functions.

Rationale for Hygiene Care

• Washing a patient's eyes with plain warm water helps to maintain cleanliness and promote a sense of normalcy.
• Assessing the color and temperature of toes, feet, and fingers during nail and foot care enables early detection of skin changes and intervention to prevent pressure damage and skin tears.
• Lightly brushing over the surface and sides of the tongue during oral hygiene care is essential to maintain good oral cavity hygiene and prevent severe effects on oral functions.