“Dignity” is defined as the quality of being worthy of esteem, respect or ethical treatment. Anyone who has ever been in a hospital can understand the feeling of loss of dignity when we have strangers coming in and out of our rooms while we are in bed. In some cases we are not allowed out of bed, and the indignity of bedpans is something we might have to endure. A few days of this treatment is all most patients have to go through, but what about the resident of a nursing home? Those of us not in institutions can go home, close our doors and be alone when we want to be. We can go into our rooms, shut out the rest of the world and think what we want to about ourselves. For the nursing home resident this is just not possible.
Dignity is bound up with our sense of self-esteem, which is important to all of us. How can certified nurses’ assistants perform all the healthcare procedures that must be done while still maintaining the resident’s dignity?
One way of maintaining dignity is by maintaining the patient’s privacy. If you spot a stain on a sheet, instead of pulling it off, spread another sheet on top of it and pull the old sheet out from under the new one.
Incontinence can make residents feel that they have no dignity. Taking residents to the restroom or offering the bedpan or urinal frequently can help to prevent accidents. When accidents do occur they should be cleaned up and dried promptly. Practice changing linens quickly, so that no resident will have to wait until the next shift to have his or her bed changed. If incontinence is a new concern, then discuss it with your supervisor and colleagues at the nursing station at change of shift rather than in front of the patient. This is also something that does not need to be discussed with family.
Being able to make decisions for themselves can help residents to feel that they control their own lives and have some dignity. Small children have little control over what happens around them, and residents want to feel that they are treated like adults, so offer options whenever possible. If a resident is supposed to have plenty of fluids, ask what kinds of juices he or she might prefer. If the resident has clothes from home, ask what he or she would like to wear today. Does the resident feel like going outside or staying in today?
Residents will feel that they still have their dignity if they are consistently well groomed. When we are sick and put off taking showers or coming our hair we begin to feel less than human. After the resident has had a shower and a good tooth brushing, be sure to comb his or her hair so that it is neat. Male residents should be shaven every day unless they prefer facial hair.
Doing what they are able to do will also help patients to feel dignified. If the patient is able to move around in bed, ask him or her to move rather than treating a living person like a non-living object.
Remember to treat patients as you would want to be treated, and their dignity will not be lost.
No comments yet.