Physical therapy and toileting

[Seemaper]

Just wanting to know if physical therapists have to deal with “toileting” issues with their patients? Is it similar to OT, where you have to deal with cleaning bodily fluids often?

Thanks in advance

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[NewTestament]

Just wanting to know if physical therapists have to deal with “toileting” issues with their patients? Is it similar to OT, where you have to deal with cleaning bodily fluids often?

Thanks in advance

During OASIS I usually have the patient sit down on the toilet and then stand up. It's a good benchmark of what they can and cannot do. If they can get into the bathroom and transfer safely then they are doing pretty well, especially if the patient is a total joint. If they can't, then I often recommend a bedside commode or a raised toilet seat.

 

[ptbusiness]

Just wanting to know if physical therapists have to deal with “toileting” issues with their patients? Is it similar to OT, where you have to deal with cleaning bodily fluids often?

Thanks in advance

You do not have to clean body fluids off your patients. Unless you want to (like when it is easier for you to do that as they go through therapy instead asking a CNA to do that). But it is not a part of PT's job responsibility.

 

[Schland]

I work in inpatient rehab and I have to clean patients all the time. It depends on which CNA is assigned to the patient if I bother asking for help. Most of them will refuse to help. I actually got reported once for asking for help (the patient requested I ask someone else, some know it’s not our job) and my management told me I’m just supposed to do it.

 

[Gator_DPT]

Let me preface this by saying I am not yet a PT, but I do work in a skilled nursing facility. Our PTs do not have to help clean patients - but it does happen on occasion when a CNA is busy and a patient needs help right away. I imagine this probably varies depending on the facility and their policies/staff.

 

[okramango]

During my inpatient rehab clinical rotation in school, not a single day went by that I didn't have to help a patient with toileting in some form or other, including wiping. In acute care, it was at least a couple times per week. I was always told that "technically" we didn't have to, but in reality the nurses or CNAs were too busy and wouldn't appreciate being asked to help. This was one of the main reasons I didn't want to work inpatient after graduating. I've actually been thinking about going into Home Health and have been wondering if this is required in that setting.

 

[CherokeeWahine]

During my inpatient rehab clinical rotation in school, not a single day went by that I didn't have to help a patient with toileting in some form or other, including wiping. In acute care, it was at least a couple times per week. I was always told that "technically" we didn't have to, but in reality the nurses or CNAs were too busy and wouldn't appreciate being asked to help. This was one of the main reasons I didn't want to work inpatient after graduating. I've actually been thinking about going into Home Health and have been wondering if this is required in that setting.

I've been in the home health setting for almost a year. I've only had to help with wiping once. It's not something you'll need to do frequently, but that depends on your patient population. In the area I service, patients who need help with toileting/showering typically have a caregiver who lives with them and assists with those tasks.

 

[PTAwesome]

During my inpatient rehab clinical rotation in school, not a single day went by that I didn't have to help a patient with toileting in some form or other, including wiping. I was always told that "technically" we didn't have to, but in reality the nurses or CNAs were too busy and wouldn't appreciate being asked to help.

I second this. I helped with toileting, including wiping and often diaper changing, every single day during my hospital inpatient rotation. I was told I didn't "have to" as a PTA, but the reality of it was that I didn't want to incur the wrath of a nurse or CNA over not wanting to wipe a butt. Had I done that, I think I'd have been scorned by everyone as being "too good to wipe a butt." Also, by handling the toileting, I got to handle the transfer to and from the toilet/commode, which allowed me to get a better assessment of the patient's ability than if I had handed it off to some one else, or let the patient push their call light and come back later. As far as dealing with it went, I got numb to it pretty quickly, but in a perfect world, I'd prefer not to have to do it.

 

[jblil]

I've actually been thinking about going into Home Health and have been wondering if this is required in that setting.

Good to see you back... I went straight to HH upon graduation and have not had to do toileting - at least up to now.

 

[snowcrawler85]

Sometimes it’s easier to do it yourself, but by no means is it in your job duties

 

[okramango]

Good to see you back... I went straight to HH upon graduation and have not had to do toileting - at least up to now.

I've been in the home health setting for almost a year. I've only had to help with wiping once. It's not something you'll need to do frequently, but that depends on your patient population. In the area I service, patients who need help with toileting/showering typically have a caregiver who lives with them and assists with those tasks.

Thanks for the helpful info! And thanks for the welcome back jblil 🙂 You might find a PM from me asking about HH some time soon! I've been in outpatient ortho since graduation and feeling ready for a different pace...

 

[jblil]

You might find a PM from me asking about HH some time soon!

PM me anytime. I think you'll like HH.