The CNA skill of giving a partial bath for the lower body will likely be tested on your state’s CNA exam. Being able to properly and safely give your residents a partial lower body bath of the hips, legs and feet will be an important regular and daily skill that you will have to know when working as a CNA.
To learn all the necessary steps for this skill, please watch this CNA Skill Partial Bath Lower Body for a complete demonstration of the skill.
CNA Skill – Partial Bath Lower Body
The process of performing the skill of giving a resident a partial bath lower body for a CNA skills exam is as follows:
- Perform the standard CNA beginning tasks. Knock before entering the patient’s room, greet the patient by name, introduce yourself, explain the task you are about to perform, close the privacy curtain, and wash your hands.
- Gather your supplies.
- Place a blanket on the resident to keep them dry.
- Now carefully remove the gown of the resident, preventing the resident from getting overexposed and too cold.
- Have the resident touch the water in the water tub so they are comfortable with the temperature.
- Verbalize to the resident your actions, starting with uncovering the first leg to wash. Place a towel underneath the resident’s leg for support.
- Take the first wash cloth, fold into fours. Dip into soapy water, and swipe in a cross fashion, working down the leg and into the feet. Use another corner to get under the the leg.
- Take a new wash cloth our to rinse, be sure not to double dip your water.
- Follow the same pattern you used to wash to rinse.
- Use your next towel to pat dry the area down.
- Repeat the process on the resident’s other side.
- Recover the resident with their blanket after you change your gloves.
- Perform your standard completion tasks – wash your hands, ensure the patient has a clean environment, ask if they are comfortable, give them their call light and close their privacy curtain.