ADL lab.

ADL stands for Activities of Daily Living, which includes things like dressing, bathing, hygiene, feeding, etc. For patients, it means that a nurse (or nursing student!) will be helping you along with all these things. But in lab, where we practice on each other, it translates into 'gong-show'.

In lab this morning, we had to practice our bed-bath and teeth-brushing skills. So in partners, while one of us flopped on the bed and pretended to be sick, the other had to fill up a basin with water and 'wash' their patient. We only cleaned arms and legs, but still - it was quite the site. But even funnier was brushing each other's teeth. That was a skill that DP did not prepare me for. I felt bad for my partner - I'm pretty sure I hit the back of her mouth 5 times. Plus, it didn't occur to me that she may need to spit until AFTER her tooth-paste drool was in her lap. I don't think I'd make a very good dental hygienist.

The lab next week deals with feeding - we are supposed to bring yogurt/pudding to class to practice with. I'm really hoping they supply bibs.

D.