Fundamentals of Care | The Importance of Patient Washing
Patient hygiene is one of the most essential — yet often overlooked — fundamentals of care. Despite advances in healthcare, the traditional bed bath remains largely unchanged for centuries. However, something as routine as patient washing can have a profound impact on dignity, comfort, and overall patient experience, all of which can significantly affect outcomes.
Hear from researchers, clinicians and patients below, as they examine how fundamentals of care and patient hygiene affects delivery of safe, effective, high-quality care that can transform both patient and caregiver wellbeing.
What are the Fundamentals of Care?
“Fundamental care is essential our healthcare systems – it is the ‘glue’ that brings everything else together.”
Dr Rebecca Feo is ranked among the top 2% of researchers worldwide, specialising in how therapeutic relationships and communication shape the quality of fundamental care. In the video above, she introduces the Fundamentals of Care Framework, a globally recognised model outlining the universal care every patient needs, regardless of condition or setting.
Dignified Washing for Patients with Dementia
“If the caregiver has confidence in assisting with the personal hygiene activities, the care recipient can then be confident in the caregiver.”
Tamara Backhouse, a former care worker and now research fellow at the University of East Anglia, shares in the video above what caregivers, care recipients and relatives value most in fundamentals of care, especially around patient washing and everyday hygiene. Her research focuses on personal care with those living with dementia, where the importance of safety, trust and empowerment are central.
Her findings reveal that even routine activities like bed bath have a powerful impact on dignity, independence and the overall patient experience.
Improving Patient Hygiene Practices in an Acute NHS Trust
“We got great feedback from our nurses using the ECO portable patient shower. I love that, from our ECO evaluation, the highest score we got was for patient dignity and wellbeing.”
Debbie Wickens, Lead Nurse for Harm Free Care at BHRUT, shares how her team transformed fundamentals of care by addressing key patient concerns around personal hygiene, patient washing and dignity. Their work began with listening: surveys revealed that many patients didn’t feel properly washed, while staff felt short on time and support.
This led to targeted improvements, including the introduction of portable patient shower technology to enhance the patient experience. Early trials showed clear benefits. From enhanced dignity and comfort, to significant time and resource savings. Hear more about the trial and its outcomes above.
Why Fundamentals of Care Matter | Patient Experience
“I truly believe that hygiene, cleanliness and making somebody feel more like themselves, improves the patient experience, improves patient flow and most importantly, aids recovery.”
Hear from Anna – “a mum, wife, sister, auntie, friend, colleague and patient”. She shares her lived experience as an incurable brain tumour patient to show why the fundamentals of care truly matter. In the video above, she reveals how everyday practices such as patient washing and bed baths affect not just cleanliness, but dignity, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
Her story highlights how personal hygiene profoundly shapes the patient experience, helping patients feel more like themselves and supporting positivity and recovery. Anna’s honest reflections remind us that these small, fundamental acts are central to comfort, patient flow and healing.
Dignified Hygiene Practices for People of Size
“ECO, portable patient shower, offers me the chance to feel clean, with consideration for my dignity.”
Tracey Carr, a Bariatric Consultant and patient advocate with over 20 years of experience, discusses the emotional and psychological value of compassionate hygiene care for bedbound people of size. In the video above, she highlights how respectful, non‑judgemental washing practices are a vital part of the fundamentals of care, helping protect dignity and ease anxieties.
Tracey explains that feeling clean and comfortable supports confidence, strengthens trust and helps patients feel more like themselves. Her message is clear: thoughtful hygiene care is not just about physical wellbeing. It affirms worth, preserves identity and creates emotional safety for those who rely on others.
For further information on the ECO portable patient shower, contact the Medstrom clinical team to see how we can help further. Get in touch today!
