Purpose

• Most residents wear street clothes during the day and sleepwear at bedtime. Most patients wear gowns. Gowns are changed daily. Garments are also changed after bathing, on admission and discharge, and when wet or soiled.
• Some patients and residents dress and undress themselves. Others need help.
• When you assist with dressing and undressing, follow these rules:
  • Provide privacy. Do not expose the person.
  • Encourage the person to do as much as possible.
  • Let the person choose what to wear. Personal choice is a resident right. Make sure the person chooses the right undergarments.
  • Make sure garments and footwear are the correct size.
  • Remove clothing from the strong or “good” (unaffected) side first.
  • Put clothing on the weak (affected) side first.
  • Support the arm or leg when removing or putting on a garment.
  • Move and handle the body gently. Do not force a joint beyond its range of motion or to the point of pain.

Equipment

Roll cursor over items to see labels. For the purposes of clearly depicting the equipment, a barrier is not shown in this photo. When providing care, a barrier should always be placed on the surface before placing the equipment.

Bath blanket

Slippers, Socks, Pullover shirt, Pants

Delegation

• Follow delegation guidelines. Before assisting with undressing and dressing, obtain this information from the nurse and care plan:
  • How much help the person needs
  • Which side is the person’s strong side
  • If the person needs to wear certain garments
  • What observations to report and record
  • When to report observations
  • What patient or resident concerns to report at once

Preparation

• Observe quality-of-life measures.
• Review the information under Delegation and Safety and Comfort.
• Ask a co-worker to help turn and position the person if needed.
• Practice hand hygiene.
• Collect the bath blanket and clothing requested by the person.
• Identify the person. Check the ID bracelet against the assignment sheet. Also call the person by name.
• Provide for privacy.
• Raise the bed for body mechanics. Bed rails are up if used.
• Lower the bed rail on the person’s weak side.
• Position him or her supine.
• Cover the person with a bath blanket. Fan-fold linens to the foot of the bed.

Safety

• When assisting with dressing and undressing, you turn the person from side to side. To protect the person from falling, take these steps:
  • If the person uses bed rails, raise the far bed rail.
  • If bed rails are not used, ask a co-worker to help turn and position the person.

Comfort

• This skill does not include comfort content.

Follow-up Care

• Provide for comfort.
• Place the call light within reach.
• Lower the bed to the low position. Raise or lower bed rails. Follow the care plan.
• Unscreen the person.
• Complete a safety check of the room.
• Follow agency policy for soiled clothing.
• Practice hand hygiene.

Reporting/Recording

• Report and record your observations, including:
  • How much help was given
  • How the person tolerated the procedure
  • Any complaints by the person
  • Any changes in the person’s behavior