Keep your skin hygienic to limit infections
Properly replacing diapers for bedridden adults is an important step in daily care. If exposed to urine and stools for too long, the skin is very vulnerable, causing hesitation, inflammation and increasing the risk of accretion ulcers. According to Dr. Isabel Casimiro, working at a medical facility in the United States, the skin around the anus and genitals needs to be kept clean and dry to minimize the risk of skin infections and ulcers.
To make diaper changes go smoothly, caregivers should prepare all the tools right at the head of the bed, including: medical gloves, clean adult diapers, wet towels or disposable towels, skin creams and plastic bags for garbage storage. Keeping these items separately, avoid using the cream together, helps limit cross-infection and shortage of items when needed.
The patient's bed can be adjusted in height, which will be very supportive, helping caregivers operate more conveniently and helping patients lie in the correct position, reducing discomfort.
Change diapers gently, using the right technique to avoid causing pain
Diaper changes can be done by one person, but it will be easier with help. The most important thing is to operate gently so as not to cause pain or injury to the patient.
Before starting, wash your hands and wear gloves. Place the patient comfortably on the back, open a dirty diaper and insert the farthest edge under the hips. Then, gently roll the patient to the side to remove diapers, roll them and put them in plastic bags.
Rinse your skin with a wet towel, avoid scratching. The patient's posture may need to be changed to clean the entire closed and buttocks. This is also the time to check for signs of acute ulcers, a common complication in patients with prolonged sleep. Long-term care specialist Angela Morrow commented: "Daily skin check-ups are a simple but effective way to detect and treat damage early and treat it promptly".
After cleaning, apply a skin care cream and place a new diaper under your hips, roll the patient back to the original position and fix the diapers so that they are tight and not wrinkled. Finally, remove gloves, tie trash bags, wash your hands and adjust the patient's posture to avoid pressing on an area for too long.
Changing diapers correctly, combined with changing posture every two hours and keeping bed sheets clean, will help patients feel more comfortable and significantly reduce the risk of skin ulcers, one of the most difficult problems to treat in bedridden patients.
