Perineal Care

Ensuring proper perineal care for your patients is an important task for a CNA. It ensures that your patients are comfortable and that they have a reduced risk of infection. What is most important is making sure that you are performing this skill properly so that your patients get the most benefit from it.

What is Perineal Care?

Also referred to as peri care, this CNA skill involves washing the anal and genital area. You can do it as a separate procedure or as part of bathing your patients. It is important to prevent skin breakdown in the area, as well as burning, infections, itching, and odor.

How to Provide Perineal Care on a Female?

Use the following steps when performing perineal care for women:

1. Get your equipment together
2. Wash your hands and put on a clean pair of gloves
3. Put your patient on their back or side
4. Place a clean towel under their hips
5. Use a sheet to cover your patient for modesty
6. Expose their perineal area
7. Start with the patient’s inner thighs to gently cleanse the area
8. Clean the outer labia and work inwards
9. Use a front to back technique to cleanse the outer genital area
10. Cleanse the anal area
11. Use a clean towel to gently pat dry the areas that you cleaned
12. If it is in the patient’s plan of care, apply a powder to the outer perineal area
13. Remove the towel
14. Remove and dispose of your equipment
15. Take off your gloves and wash your hands
16. Assist the patient into a comfortable position

How to Provide Perineal Care on a Male?

Use the following steps when performing perineal care for men:

1. Collect your equipment
2. Wash your hands and apply your gloves
3. Place the client on their side or back
4. Put a towel under your patient’s hips
5. Cover your client with a sheet for modesty
6. Expose their perineal area
7. Wash the penis using a circular motion and start at the tip and go down
8. Wash the scrotum
9. Cleanse the area between their legs
10. Cleanse the anal area
11. Use a gentle patting to dry the cleansed area
12. Apply a chafing powder below the scrotum if this is in the patient’s plan of care
13. Remove the towel
14. Dispose of your equipment and gloves
15. Wash your hands
16. Help the patient get into a comfortable position

Video of Perineal Care for Female

Expert Tips & Advice on Perineal Care

When you are performing this type of care, it is imperative that the water temperature not be too hot. This area of the body is sensitive, and hot water could cause discomfort or even burn the patient’s skin.

If the male patient is uncircumcised, it is important to retract the foreskin while you are doing perineal care. This ensures that all bacteria, sweat, and other debris are fully removed from their perineal area.

FAQ about Perineal Care