For my episode of care i will be teaching a health care assistant how to accurately carry out a bed wash and the significance. This will be done under the supervision of my assessor. I begin by asking the health care assistant about the knowledge she has on personal care in the health care setting. I assess her ability to understand what i was explaining to her after my assessment, i made a plan on how i was going to approach the teaching. I explained that doing bed washes can also be a time to assess the patient skin for any abnormalities.

I explained that personal care is an integral part of the patient care and well-being, and if effectively performed, a bed wash can improve the health of the patient immensely. I explained to her that some of the things to consider when carrying out a bed wash are the patient preferences, the ethical and legal aspect, religious and cultural beliefs and the patient condition e.g. does the patient culture allows them to be washed by a male or a female? or does the patient have a drain, catheter or a fracture. This will assist you with the way you will provide patient centred care. I thought a health care assistant the correct procedure when carrying out bed washes, we gathered the equipment and i explained to her that she needed to gain the patient consent and always promote independence by offering the patient to do as much as they can do for themselves. i explained that the patient might be a bit slower at time but it is very important to be patient and allow the patient time to complete what they are doing. I explained the importance of not having personal conversation while assisting the patient and to respect the patient dignity by pulling the curtains and covering body parts with towel after personal hygiene.

i explained that during this time it is important to take the opportunity to assess the patient skin. I communicate with the patient to put them at ease as this can be uncomfortable for them. I observe the carer if she was actively listening to what i was saying and i assess her ability to understand what was being explained to her, i asked questions to test her knowledge and also ensured she was able to ask question when she needed to. I found the carer to be very receptive to what was explained but it was a bit distracting having to stop and simplify somethings to her because English was not her first language. I use examples to get the point across and she seem to interact more with that method. I demonstrated to her how to gain consent by explaining to the patient what we were there to do and after giving all the information to the patient and observing for any signs of non-verbal discomfort. I asked her if she would like to demonstrate but she was reluctant to do so, however, the carer was not able to speak fluent English she was not keen on talk back as much because she was shy. After we completed the teaching i provided her with a feedback and encouraged her to improve her English by doing more reading and watching television or take a English course she will be able to become more confident caring for her patients.

I was able to adequately explain the procedure to the carer, and also reflect on how much i have learnt throughout my practice, how i felt about doing bed washes when i first started and how confident i have become now.
I have introduced myself to the patient, however, on reflection I will do more research to provide her with more information
With the trainings i have received so far i am more confident to work a bit more independently I am also confident to ask for help when help is needed
This episode of care has shown me that it is important to keep learning, so i will be able to lead in my role as well as assisting other junior staff.