Respective Impact of Day and Night Bed Baths on Critical Care Patients

Background Despite data supporting the reduction of interactions with patients during nighttime, bed bathing is sometimes performed within this period in sedated patients unable to manage their own hygiene care. Objectives To compare patient physiologic variables and adverse effect incidence between night and day bed baths. Methods This was a single-center prospective observational study in a 12-bed intensive care unit during 2 months. Night period was defined to run from 10 pm to 6 am. Night bed baths were provided to sedated ventilated patients whatever their sedation, if their Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale score was −2 or deeper. Bed bath–induced changes in physiological variables, treatments, and related unscheduled events were registered during both night and day bed baths. Results Twenty-one patients (aged 62.9 [52.5-73.2] years, 14 male patients) were included. We registered 97 night bed baths and 95 day bed baths. Heart rate increased only after day bed baths (85 beats/min [bpm] [69-97 bpm] vs 88 bpm [73-98 bpm], P = .02). Increase in Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale score occurred, respectively, during 13 (13.4%) and 8 (8.4%) night and day bed baths, without significant differences. Body temperature significantly decreased during both night and day bed baths (respectively, 37°C [36.6°C-37.4°C] vs 36.6°C [36.2°C-37.2°C], P
Source: Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing - Category: Nursing Tags: Research DIMENSION Source Type: research