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Fundamentals · chapter 25 · Hygiene

Factors Affecting Hygienic Practices

The 14 things this section of the textbook says that you are most likely to be asked about — quoted word for word, not retold. Then 5 practice questions with the reasoning.

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Key points

  1. Respecting hygiene preferences

    Respecting patient differences and preferences in hygiene practices while remaining unbiased is essential to the nursing practice. Nurses must also remember to provide care and education to patients in a nonjudgmental manner.

  2. Factors influencing hygiene

    Cultural practices or behaviors, socioeconomic status, developmental level, and personal preferences are factors that influence an individual’s hygiene practices.

  3. Assessing cultural routines

    Nurses can identify cultural variations by asking the patient about their normal hygiene routines.

  4. Cultural product preferences

    Cultural preferences may impact hygiene practices in terms of frequency and the type of products used.

  5. Touch and permission

    Some cultures may find touch offensive, which is important for the nurse to remember. Asking for permission before touching a patient when helping with hygiene practices is crucial to remember as well.

  6. Avoiding hygiene stereotypes

    Some cultures may prefer the same sex nurse assist with hygiene. Nurses are not to stereotype hygiene preferences based upon one's culture; rather, nursing personnel should ask the patient about their preferences and beliefs to provide care that aligns with the patient as an individual.

  7. Financial limits on hygiene

    Financial limitations may impact the ability to obtain clean clothing or toiletries but could also influence water usage or access. Sometimes a person may have to make a choice between buying food to feed their family and purchasing personal hygiene products.

  8. Adolescent privacy needs

    Adolescents also tend to prefer privacy, performing independent hygiene rather than in the presence of others. Therefore, hygiene education may be impacted when a parent is present.

  9. Older adult mobility

    Older adults may experience mobility limitations that impact the frequency of bathing or ability to reach all areas of the body.

  10. Scheduling around preferences

    Personal preference is a significant factor in a person’s hygiene practices. Considering a person’s preferences when scheduling or aiding with hygiene is important.

  11. Mobility impairment care

    For instance, paralyzed patient may require a bed bath performed by another person. Identifying the best practices for this patient and a hygiene schedule to protect their skin, increase comfort, and control odor is important.

  12. Illness and hygiene assistance

    Some diseases may incapacitate or exhaust a patient, thus warranting the need for the caregiver to perform all aspects of this practice. For example, a person with serious pulmonary conditions may not be able to tolerate activities and may require a great deal of assistance.

  13. Cognitive disease planning

    Careful consideration by the nurse is necessary when planning hygiene for persons with any type of cognitive diseases or disorders due to the impact on a person’s memory, focus, visual perception, abstract reasoning, and ability to learn or perform hygiene practices.

  14. Depression and hygiene

    People with depression may struggle with self-esteem and the motivation to perform hygiene measures. Depression may cause fatigue and cognitive effects such as negative thought patterns, memory problems, and brain fog.

Terms to know

cultural sensitivity
The term cultural sensitivity is defined as recognizing and acknowledging that cultural differences exist among people and showing respect and appreciation of others' beliefs, values, practices, and perspectives.
cultural diffusion
For instance, cultural diffusion is the spreading out and merging of pieces from various cultures.
cultural appropriation
Cultural appropriation, which is the exploitation of another culture’s religion and/or cultural traditions, can be found offensive by some and should be avoided by the nurse.

Practice questions

Stuck on select-all-that-apply? How to take them one option at a time.

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Every question here, with the answer

  1. A nurse is preparing to assist a patient with bathing. The patient shares that in their culture, touch from others can be uncomfortable. What is the nurse’s best action before beginning hygiene care?

    1. Avoid offering hygiene care unless the patient specifically requests it.
    2. Proceed with the bath because hygiene care is part of routine nursing care.
    3. Ask a family member to decide how the bath should be performed.
    4. Ask the patient for permission before touching them and clarify their preferences.

    Answer: Ask the patient for permission before touching them and clarify their preferences.

    The best action is to ask permission before touching and individualize care based on the patient’s preferences. The other options either ignore the patient’s cultural concern, shift decision-making away from the patient, or fail to offer appropriate hygiene support.

  2. A nurse is admitting a patient and wants to assess cultural preferences related to hygiene in a respectful way. Which nursing actions are appropriate? Select all that apply.

    1. Base the hygiene plan on what is typical for the patient’s cultural group.
    2. Ask, “Tell me about your oral hygiene routines.”
    3. Ask, “How do you clean and take care of your body?”
    4. Provide care and education in a nonjudgmental manner.
    5. Explain that the questions are asked to understand the patient’s practices, not to be offensive.

    Answer: Ask, “Tell me about your oral hygiene routines.”, Ask, “How do you clean and take care of your body?”, Provide care and education in a nonjudgmental manner., Explain that the questions are asked to understand the patient’s practices, not to be offensive.

    The nurse should ask about the patient’s usual routines, explain the purpose of the questions, and provide nonjudgmental care. Assuming preferences based on culture is stereotyping and does not align care with the patient as an individual.

  3. A hospitalized patient has refused daytime baths for three days. When the nurse asks follow-up questions, the patient says, “I only like to bathe at night before bed.” What is the nurse’s best response?

    1. Tell the patient that hospital baths are only offered during the day.
    2. Explain that bathing time is not a personal preference during hospitalization.
    3. Document the patient as refusing hygiene care.
    4. Document the nighttime bath preference and communicate it to the appropriate shift staff.

    Answer: Document the nighttime bath preference and communicate it to the appropriate shift staff.

    The patient is not refusing hygiene overall; the patient has a timing preference. The nurse should document the preference and communicate it so care can be scheduled appropriately, rather than labeling the patient as refusing or dismissing the preference.

  4. A nurse is planning hygiene care for a patient with significant mobility impairment who requires a bed bath. Which interventions are appropriate? Select all that apply.

    1. Limit hygiene care because mobility impairment reduces hygiene needs.
    2. Take extra steps to reposition the patient more frequently.
    3. Identify best hygiene practices and a schedule to protect skin, increase comfort, and control odor.
    4. Provide a bath every day to allow for a comprehensive skin assessment.
    5. Delay hygiene care until the patient can shower independently.

    Answer: Take extra steps to reposition the patient more frequently., Identify best hygiene practices and a schedule to protect skin, increase comfort, and control odor., Provide a bath every day to allow for a comprehensive skin assessment.

    For a patient with mobility impairment, hygiene care should include a planned schedule, daily bathing for skin assessment, and frequent repositioning to support circulation and skin integrity. Delaying or limiting care would increase risk and does not address the patient’s hygiene needs.

  5. A patient with depression has not bathed and says, “I just cannot get myself to do it, and I do not care how I look.” Which understanding should guide the nurse’s care?

    1. The patient is making a personal preference that does not require nursing assessment.
    2. Depression can affect motivation and executive function needed to maintain hygiene.
    3. Poor hygiene in depression is mainly caused by lack of cultural sensitivity.
    4. The nurse should focus only on providing different hygiene products.

    Answer: Depression can affect motivation and executive function needed to maintain hygiene.

    Depression may reduce motivation and affect the ability to carry out hygiene practices. The nurse should recognize this as a psychological factor affecting hygiene rather than assuming it is only preference, culture, or product choice.

Where every quote comes from

Section 25.2 Factors Affecting Hygienic Practices of Fundamentals of Nursing by Christy Bowen, Lindsay Draper, Heather Moore, OpenStax, 2024. Read the whole section free at openstax.org.

The textbook is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. This page quotes it word for word and adds the headings, the order and the practice questions; references to the book's figures and stray spaces left by its formatting are removed. The page is shared under the same licence. Nothing here is sold.