Wiping butts: How often?

[helloteenah]

I've been observing OTs at a local hospital. Two told me, "If you can't stand to wipe someone's ass, then this isn't for you."
I didn't see any of them having to wipe anyone's butt, but I did see one patient who leaked all over the bed. The OT called the CNA to clean up the bed.

So be honest. How dirty is this job? I think I can handle it if it wasn't a routine thing. I guess it depends on your patients.

Also, the OT said that most OTs hate home health. Why? He said he didn't like it because of the various forms of paperwork required.

What do you encounter in a home health setting?

If anyone has any experience, please respond. I plan to ask the OTs this weekend as well.

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[gialuan]

From my experience, the job isn't dirty at all. I'm volunteering at a nursing home right now and the OTR basically does screenings/evaluations of the new patients/residents. The COTAs stay in the OT room and work with them. Luckily, I haven't witnessed any accidents and such, so I can't answer your question with a strong feeling of assurance. The dirtiest encounter I had was when one of the COTAs touched and lifted a man's leg (which was leaking because he had cellulitis. But she wore gloves and the contact was brief).

 

[superCOTA]

OT's are called upon to wipe ass every day.

Personally, I am happy to do it, and it doesn't bother me a bit.

I don't think OT is going to be for you if you have issues with this.

Good luck in your other endeavors.

 

[helloteenah]

Well I'm not ready to write off OT forever because of one dirty task considering I have observed for 30 hours and haven't witnessed any ass wiping.

Yes, I realize that is not the same as working the job day in and out.

No response on home health?

 

[Karina12]

I am sorry but this is none sense, if a patient has an accident then the nurse will take care of it.I have never seen nor heard of an OT having to do anything that requires wiping a patient for any reason. As for home care, most OT's as well as other therapists (speech, special ed.) do it. and lastly if you don't like having to do paperwork which is required of all health/medical professionals to do then maybe you should reconsider the health profession field all together.

 

[JavOT10]

okay. in all my volunteer hours the only time i have every had to deal with a patient's bowel movements was when i was observing in the wound care department at a hospital and a patient had to be rolled to put clean dressing on. when something like does happen the nurses are called in.

as for home health and contract work, that is where there is more money if you are willing to put in the time and it also depends on what part of the state there in. and all hospitals pay different.

paperwork must be done whether you are in a hospital setting or homehealth, but the only thing that matters is the rehabilitation of the patient not how many pages of forms you had to fill out.

 

[r0t]

If the patient has use of one upper extremity, there's no reason why you should have to clean them. Maybe you'll help the person with weight shift so s/he can reach, but otherwise they need to do it themselves. Toileting is an ADL but we should progress the patients towards being independent, and us wiping all the time is not very therapeutic.

 

[superCOTA]

I was so kidding before. sorry. I don't even take care of my own.

 

[Danae00]

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[bluegreenjewel]

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[MOTstudent]

That doesn't sound right -- I shadowed in 5 different places and they ALWAYS called a nurse in to clean up (nursing home included). I was in the room for many "messes" but the OTs acted like they never clean it.
Hmmm.
This is something I need to know! haha I have a hard time looking at other people's messes.

 

[brooklynite]

We do take the patients to the bathroom if they have to use it.First of all it's teaxhong the pateint to become more independent and also we work as a team.Instead of having a patient wait 10-20 minutes to use the bathroom we as therapist take them.Whats wrong with that? Don't worry it will be you one day (an elderly person waiting to use the bathroom)