Promoting Hygiene and Self-care Practice Solutions
1. Professional image and personal hygiene: - personal hygiene can impact patient care and outcomes
- rules for dress code are often based on infection prevention standard
2. General principles for appropriate personal hygiene and dress for nurses and other direct caregivers: -
clean hair that is styled away from your face
- well-kept facial hair
- excellent oral and skin care
- minimal makeup, no perfumes
- minimal makeup, no perfumes
- minimal jewelry, short natural nails
- clean, wrinkle-free uniform and clean shoes
3. Self-care activities: practice of activities that an individual initiates or perform on their own behalf; main- taining health and well-
being (learned and intentional)
4. self-care activities: Activities of daily living (ADLs): - Bathing
- grooming
- toileting
- dressing
1
, - eating
- moving
5. Self-care activities: Level of assistance needed: - independent
- partial assistance (requires some help)
- dependent/total assistance
*depends on activity- some may be independent in one area; but not in another)*
6. Caring for the skin: Assessment: - assess skin at least once at the beginning of the shift
- more frequent assessments are necessary for patients with incontinence and other risk factors
- cleanse the skin using a gentle, pH balanced cleanser
- use other cleansing products as recommended (i.e. CHG baths: may be used before surgery; to clean a foley or around a C-line)
- consider the use of protective barrier creams to protect skin from excessive moisture (i.e. barrier creams; renex creates a film over clean skin to
prevent moisture
impacting the top layer of the skin i.e. after baths; skin emollients help maintain moisture balance)
- use skin emollients after bathing, as needed
7. Caring for the skin: what to avoid: - hot water
- soaps
- excessive friction or scrubbing
8. Bathing rationales: - provides opportunity for thorough skin assessment
2
1. Professional image and personal hygiene: - personal hygiene can impact patient care and outcomes
- rules for dress code are often based on infection prevention standard
2. General principles for appropriate personal hygiene and dress for nurses and other direct caregivers: -
clean hair that is styled away from your face
- well-kept facial hair
- excellent oral and skin care
- minimal makeup, no perfumes
- minimal makeup, no perfumes
- minimal jewelry, short natural nails
- clean, wrinkle-free uniform and clean shoes
3. Self-care activities: practice of activities that an individual initiates or perform on their own behalf; main- taining health and well-
being (learned and intentional)
4. self-care activities: Activities of daily living (ADLs): - Bathing
- grooming
- toileting
- dressing
1
, - eating
- moving
5. Self-care activities: Level of assistance needed: - independent
- partial assistance (requires some help)
- dependent/total assistance
*depends on activity- some may be independent in one area; but not in another)*
6. Caring for the skin: Assessment: - assess skin at least once at the beginning of the shift
- more frequent assessments are necessary for patients with incontinence and other risk factors
- cleanse the skin using a gentle, pH balanced cleanser
- use other cleansing products as recommended (i.e. CHG baths: may be used before surgery; to clean a foley or around a C-line)
- consider the use of protective barrier creams to protect skin from excessive moisture (i.e. barrier creams; renex creates a film over clean skin to
prevent moisture
impacting the top layer of the skin i.e. after baths; skin emollients help maintain moisture balance)
- use skin emollients after bathing, as needed
7. Caring for the skin: what to avoid: - hot water
- soaps
- excessive friction or scrubbing
8. Bathing rationales: - provides opportunity for thorough skin assessment
2
