For this assignment I will use an example of how I work with a client Outcome 11.1 Every morning when I go to help L . with her morning routine I first of all ask her how she feels and what she wants us to do that day, whether she wants a wash or a shower, if she wants to was her hair or not.1.
2 We establish the level and type of support she needs for personal care by talking. I ask her what part of the shower she can do on her own(wash her hands, face, under her arms, groins) and what part needs my support (back, feet).1.3 We agree on the level of privacy she needs also by talking, I ask her when or if she wants me to leave the bathroom so she can have some privacy or hold the shower . And if she wants me to let her for few minutes in the bathroom, I can go out and close the door, since it is safe for her, she has a safety belt on her shower chair so there’s no risk of falling or sliding.
Outcome 22.1 It is very important to support the individuals to understand the reasons for hygiene and safety precautions. That is why I always explain L. that the first thing we need to do is to put on the safety belt.
And also in days when she does not feel like taking a shower, I encourage her explaining that keeping a good hygiene is very important for her health and well being.2.2 I always respect the health and safety procedures and the infection control procedures, so before working with any client I wash hands, I use antibacterial gel, I put on gloves, apron, plastic shower shoes. I also respect some good rules when giving a shower: was first face, hands and upper part with a white flannel and groins, bottom and feet with a dark flannel.2.3 Sometimes I was in the situation to report concerns about the safety and hygiene of equipment or facilities used for personal care.
For example the shower was broken, the toilet blocked or the draining from the shower blocked, so I reported this immediately in the care office and also talked to the person responsible for maintenance in our working place.2.4 When I let L. alone in the shower I am always behind the closed door of the bathroom, so whenever she need help she only needs to call me and I come in to help. I never leave the room or let her unsupervised.2.
5 After finishing the personal care I always dispose of shower shoes, apron and gloves in the perm bin, respecting the rules of infection prevention and control.Outcome 33.1 Whenever L. needs to use the toilet she presses the bleep button and one member of staff assists her.
She cannot transfer from wheelchair on her own, so she uses a rotunda to be turned from the wheelchair to the toilet and back. We supervise her during the whole procedure, in fact she needs 2 members of staff to support her when she needs the toilet. We make sure her feet are on the inner circle of the rotunda so that she has stability and also we help her stand up and hold the metal frame while we put her clothes down. Then we gently rotate the rotunda until she is in the right position that allows her sit on the toilet. Then we make sure she is sitting properly and we insure her with the safety belt.
After this we allow her privacy and respect her dignity, we go out of the toilet and close the door, and we wait for her to call us in her bedroom.3.2 after using the toilet L. calls us again in. We make sure that she has wiped and also sometimes help her if she cannot reach.
Afterwards we apply Conatrone or Sudocream as barrier creams to protect her groins and skin. If she needs to wear a pad, we help her put one on. Then she is pulling up the front part of her underwear and trousers and we make sure that they are up on the back also. We make sure that she is tidy and clean, then we help her transfer back to the wheelchair, put on the safety belt, the footplates.
In the end we prompt her to wash her hands and dry them.Outcome 44.1 Before giving a shower or personal care we must ensure that the room and water temperatures meet the individual’s needs and preferences for washing or bathing or mouth care. I always ask the client what temperature is ok, they touch the water with the hand and tell me if it has to be more hot or cold until they confirm that it is the right temperature for them. This way we prevent accidents.
4.2. Before offering personal care we must also ensure that toiletries, materials and equipment are within our rich or the rich of the client. It is always better to prepare all before starting, to make sure we have shower gel, shampoo, wet wipes, pads, creams, towels, flanels all ready to use so that we are not in a situation to leave the client because we do not have one thing or another and go look for it. Being well organized from the very beginning saves time, energy and also prevents accidents.4.
3. It is very important that we provide support to carry out personal hygiene activities in ways that maintain comfort, respect dignity and promote active participation. It is important because the clients should use at the maximum their abilities since our goal is that they become more and more independent. They must feel that they are involved, that they are respected, that their opinion about their own personal care is the most important.
Outcome 55.1 It is not easy to provide support to enable clients to manage their personal appearance in ways that respect dignity and promote active participation. At any given time we must be aware that it must be very embarrassing for them not to be able to do personal care on their own. For example nobody would like to be helped pull up or down their underwear without being asked before if it is all right with them to be helped. Nobody would like this to be done in public, all clients need their privacy and dignity.
Putting ourselves in the client’s shoes can help us imagine how we should act without offending and in order to respect their dignity and own participation.5.2 It is part of our job to encourage the clients to keep their clothing and personal care items clean, safe and secure. We offer them aprons, we offer them paper tissues, we help them wipe the nose or mouth if they cannot do it on their own. This is also very important in order to maintain their dignity.
Outcome 66.1. After finishing the personal care I use to seek feedback from the clients and others that have worked with us on how well support for personal care meets the clients needs and preferences. I ask the clients if they are happy with the care received and if there is anything else they need.
6.2. Monitoring the personal care functions and activities in agreed ways means to keep contact with the client and colleagues and seek feedback on how the personal care offered was.6.
3. At the end of the personal care offered we must record all details in the client’s folders(write in the blue books and fill in all the charts that the client has) and report any problems to the seniors.
