Abstract
Personal hygiene care has been neglected as part of routine nursing practice in Japan because of advancements in medical treatments and short hospital stays. As a result, bed baths given using steamed towels are becoming common, and patients are increasingly discharged from hospitals without being given an assisted shower or bath. It is debatable whether this practice satisfies the needs of patients. In the present study, we interviewed patients receiving personal hygiene care provided by nurses and examined how they perceived the care.
We conducted semi-structured interviews with 6 inpatients who could communicate verbally and who were receiving total assistance and personal hygiene care. The patients’ responses were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive method, which revealed the following results.
The patients were “satisfied with the detailed care” and were “satisfied with the adequate duration and methods.” However, the patients felt “dissatisfaction because of the‘brusqueness’of the care” provided by the nurses and “expected and hoped for safe and comfortable care.” These results demonstrate that although the patients felt that they were respected by the nurses, they wished to be provided with safe and comfortable care.
