Eye, mouth, skin care, and bed bath

The basic care involves all those activities performed in each context of care and in intensive care units that characterize the nurses’ job, drawing attention to sensitive outcomes such as infection prevention and patients’ safety.In this chapter, we will discuss how the basic nursing care to the person in the intensive care unit (ICU) is widely different if compared to other departments, and, especially, the eye, mouth, and skin care management and the bed bath will be highlighted. In particular, oral hygiene care, using either a mouthrinse, gel, toothbrush, or combination, together with aspiration of secretions, may reduce the risk of Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in critically ill patients. Using chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) for body hygiene allows to reduce the transmission of infections, but it is still debated if it contributes completely to the reduction in infections in ICU. Hygiene care in critical care patients may significantly alter vital signs, therefore a strict haemodinamic and respiratory monitoring.