Comfort promotion: Caring for the client's environment

In a healthcare setting, a client’s, or resident’s, “unit” is referring to their room. The various types of units differ according to the person’s needs.

For a client that is receiving medical care in their own home, the resident’s unit is the person’s bedroom or living room.

However, most people that need medical care stay in healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and long-term facilities. In hospitals, clients typically stay in commune units with a shared bathroom that can accommodate more than one person.

There can also be more private units that are designed for one or two people, but these are used for individuals that need more privacy such as those recovering after a surgery.

A special type of unit is in the intensive care unit, or ICU, or a critical care unit, or CCU, and it’s reserved for individuals that are critically ill, need special equipment and more intense monitoring.

Also, a hospital usually has birthing suites for people that are about to or just gave birth to a baby. Sometimes, a hospital can also have another type of unit called a subacute care unit, or skilled nursing unit, for clients who are not ill enough to be in a regular hospital unit, but have not yet recovered fully to return to their home.

Now, in a long-term care facility, also known as a nursing home or an assisted living facility, the units are different than in hospitals.

People stay for a longer period of time and so the facility has to be more home-like. Residents have their own private room or share a room with one or more people.

Bathrooms can be private or shared and there are also some other common rooms designed for dining and other activities. In some long-term facilities, people live in whole apartments that have one or more bedrooms and bathrooms, but share commune dining or activity rooms with other people.

Now, the condition of a client’s unit affects the person’s well-being and so the resident’s environment must have certain accommodations to ensure that the client feels comfortable.

First, it must be kept clean in order to prevent transmission of infections and make a good impression on the clients and their families.

Next, it’s important to ensure that the unit doesn’t have any unpleasant odor, such as the smell of vomit, urine and feces.

Also, it's essential that a unit has a well-functioning ventilation system that makes the room feel neat and clean, and helps with the odor control.

In addition, the temperature has to be maintained at around 71oF to 81oF where most individuals feel comfortable. This temperature can be warm for a person such as a nursing assistant that is busy all day, but it’s ideal for an individual that is inactive due to an illness or advanced age.

Another important aspect is adequate lighting. People usually need two types of lighting.

The first is the general type that comes from the sunlight or it’s provided by a ceiling fixture and helps clients and their caregivers move about in the room safely.

The second type is task lighting that is usually used for activities that require more focused illumination such as reading and writing.

Finally, a resident’s unit has to be quiet, so that the individual can rest and sleep. However, health care facilities are typically busy places and thus, a certain level of noise is expected.

The noise usually comes from clients that are chatting with their families, from the television or the radio, from members of the health care team, but also from equipment that don’t function properly and are noisy such as a squeaky bed with loose joints.

Okay, now as a nursing assistant, you play a major role in ensuring that a client’s unit is in good condition. To keep the unit clean, remember to change the bedsheets regularly and dispose of any trash that you find in the unit.

Also, help the clients keep their personal items clean and tidy. To control the odors, make sure to dispose of emesis basins, clean dirty urinals and bedpans promptly, and check that the wastebaskets are emptied regularly.

If necessary, you can also use an air freshener to eliminate bad odors. In addition, recognize and assist clients that need your help with their routine personal hygiene.

Maintaining a good oral and perineal hygiene are essential to reduce unpleasant odors. Also, remember to reduce any unnecessary odors during your own personal care.

Even a scent that is pleasant to most people, such as a cologne, may be overpowering for the client. Now, regarding ventilation, keep in mind that the ventilation system can create drafts of cool air that can be unpleasant for the client.

Ensure that your client feels warm or provide them with an extra blanket if necessary. Moving onto lighting, make sure to ask a client if they prefer the sunlight or the light provided by the ceiling fixture.

Also, make sure that task lighting is also available in their unit. Finally, try to minimize noises by reminding the clients, their families, as well as members of the healthcare team, to talk quietly.

Also, make sure that clients keep the volume of the television or their phones low and provide clients with hearing problems with headsets or earphones.

Clients often bring their personal belongings when they enter a healthcare facility, especially if they’re about to stay for a long period of time.

These items can be photo albums, candles, religious items, a computer, a television, books, or their own bedsheets. Having their personal items make the unit more home-like and the client feels more comfortable.

By respecting and appreciating their items, you are showing the client that you care about them. However, make sure that the client’s unit remains clean, tidy and there’s nothing obstructing the path where the client and their caregivers must walk.

Keep in mind that it is unacceptable to take something that belongs to a client even if you think it has insignificant value or they do not need it.

Also, protect your client from people such as health care workers, caregivers, or other clients, that may try to take their personal belongings.

While ensuring a client’s unit is home-like, clean and safe, there are a couple of things you should report to a nurse straight away.

First, report if there’s any device or furniture that’s not functioning properly or it’s noisy. Next, inform a nurse if anything has caused harm to you or the client.

In addition, be sure to inform the nurse if the client or someone from their environment complains that they have lost a personal belonging, or if you suspect that someone has stolen a personal item from your client’s unit.

You also have to report if you broke anything in their room by accident. Also, make sure to inform the nurse if the client’s room or bathroom is not clean enough or their garbage baskets are not emptied regularly.

Finally, report any persistent odor in the room. All right, as a quick recap… A resident’s unit is a client’s unit, which can vary according to the healthcare facility and the client’s needs.

As a nursing assistant, make sure that the unit is clean, free of unpleasant odors, has a functioning ventilation system, a temperature between 71oF to 81oF, adequate lighting as well as adequate noise control.