Conclusion and recommendations
This study has implications for nursing research
and clinical practice. Further research is warranted
to determine the appropriate timing of
patient hygiene activities and cleansing agents
used, to improve patient outcomes. Prospective
studies to address the issue of the timing of
the bed-bath or freshen-up on sleep disturbance
should be considered. Other organisational and
patient factors which impact on the timing, frequency
of the bed-bath also need further study.
Implications for clinical practice arising from this
study include: educational activities to address
RNs’ clinical decision making with regarding to
timing; frequency and cleansing agent choice for
the bed-bath; the development of a protocol for
skin assessment, documentation; and management
strategies to improve patient skin integrity is
recommended.