Cleaning the body without bathing

 A bed bath means wiping the bodies in bed of care-receivers who cannot take a bath. Giving a bed bath to
the entire body not only takes a lot of time but is exhausting for care-receivers. One of the duties of
caregivers is to determine how often a partial bed bath should be given in order to reduce the fatigue of
care-receivers.

 There are methods of cleansing the body: Taking a bath or shower; bed bath and partial bathing (Hand
bathing, foot bathing, genital bathing)

Full-body bed bath

1. Necessary equipment
 Two washbowls
 Bucket for hot water and for dirty water
 Bath towel
 Picher for pouring water
 Soap or cleansing agent
 Cotton blanket
 Cushion or pillow
 Plastic sheet
 Moisturizing cream, etc.

2. Prior Arrangements
 Confirm that the care-receiver wants a bed bath
 Check the general condition and determine the method accordingly
 Finish elimination in advance
 Adjust the room temperature
 Protect privacy
 Assemble the equipment. Place it on the plastic sheet as water spatters
 Place the equipment within reach
 Cover the linens with the towel so as not to soil them
 Prepare water as hot as possible

3. Procedure of bed bath

 Tell that you are going to give a bed bath
 Assemble the equipment within reach
 Adjust the care-receivers position and cover with a cotton blanket except for the area to be cleaned.
 Wipe the face in order of the eyes → forehead → cheeks → lower part of the nose → around the
mouth → chin → back of the ears → neck
 Wipe moisture from the surface well with a dry towel
 Fold the towel compactly enough to be useful for wiping. Change the portion used for wiping to
maintain hygiene. Be careful to keep the towel warm
 Take the top off
 Reduce exposure of the skin as much as possible. Protect privacy
 Wipe the upper body
 Wipe the upper body by applying soap or a cleansing agent to the skin and wipe off quickly and
carefully
 Cover the area wiped with a bath towel or cotton blanket
 Wipe the upper body in order of the chest to the abdominal region
 As the areas under the female breasts get dirty easily, wipe the areas carefully in circular motion
 Wipe the abdominal region in a circular motion
 Wipe the upper limbs
 Wipe the arms from the wrist to the shoulder joints. Wiping from the periphery to the center can
facilitate blood circulation, as well as remove dirt
 Wipe the back
 In the case of a care-receiver with paralysis, lay in lateral position on the sound side in
consideration of comfort
 Apply a hot towel to the back to warm the person, which improves blood flow
 Wipe the center of the back upward along the backbone
 Put the top on
 Take the trousers/underwear (including a diaper) off
 Cover the body with a cotton blanket and expose the legs
 Wipe the genital area and the buttocks
 Use an exclusive towel
 Wipe not only the genital area but also the region around the groin
 For a female care-receiver, wipe the labia from the urethral meatus first to the anus to prevent
infection
 For a male care-receiver, wipe the penis and scrotum carefully because the wrinkled region soil
easily
 Wipe the buttocks in a circular motion
 Wipe the lower limbs
 Hold the heel with the hand like pressing the palm against it for stability
 Wipe the lower limbs firmly from the ankles to the knees and the groin areas
 Wipe the hand from the palms to the back of the hand, the finger and the areas between the finger
 Put the trousers/underwear on
 Adjust the bed clothes
 Check the physical condition
 Apply moisturizing cream to the regions where the skin is dry
 Dehydrate the care-receiver to prevent dehydration
 Clean up
 Carefully check to see that no water has spilled around the bed because spilled water may cause
accidental falls
 Tidy the equipment used. Restock any items to prevent shortages when used the next time