Care Basics: Bathing the Difficult Patient

Outline:
Reasons for resistance: --Medical reasons --Physiological Reasons --Environmental Reasons --Other Causes What can you do? --Making bath time easier and more pleasant Safety Concerns: --Making the environment safer --Your challenge

Myrna Mele is a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist with over twenty years of healthcare experience. This experience includes five years of Medical-Surgical Nursing before achieving her advanced practice certification in Mental Health Nursing. Ms. Mele has worked in management and supervisory roles in various hospital settings at Yale Psychiatric Hospital in Connecticut, and Summa Health Systems in Akron, Ohio. Her experience includes home care, outpatient clinics and she has trained staff extensively in crises intervention. In addition to this, Myrna has planned educational seminars for hospital staff in Ohio. She has also been a speaker for the Alzheimers Association and has trained staff in educational seminars in the North Carolina area. Myrna completed her Masters Degree in Nursing from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. She is certified with the American Nurses Association as a Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. Currently, Myrna is employed in this capacity and works with pain management clients in North Carolina. Disclosure: Myrna Mele has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

Karen C. Schnaufer, BSN, RN, Content Writer, Relias Learning, has held positions as staff nurse, charge nurse, research nurse clinician, and clinical instructor with over 25 years of clinical practice in a broad range of specialties: med/surg, pediatrics, long term care, mental health, research, and IDD. Prior to becoming a Registered Nurse, Ms. Schnaufer successfully challenged the Practical Nursing Boards in NY. After working with the Breast Oncology Research group at Duke, Ms. Schnaufer switched her focus to the area of IDD and worked with individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues, who live in group homes. Among her various responsibilities in this area was to train direct support staff and clinicians in medical issues/medication administration, participate in state surveys, providing and implementing plans of correction, as well as, serving on various committees, such as Human Rights, to help improve the lives of the individuals supported. To this day, she continues to volunteer in this realm. A veteran of the U.S.A.F., Ms. Schnaufer is committed to creating relevant and intelligent continuing education courses for healthcare professionals throughout the continuum of care. Disclosure: Karen C. Schnaufer, BSN, RN has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.