Is it true that registered nurses are NOT supposed to wipe and clean up patients in the hospital?

Someone told me that ONLY nurse aids are supposed to wipe and clean patients in the hospital. Is this always true? Or does it depend on the hospital?

Well not really.

I am an RN and i wipe the odd bum but many hospitals do use nurses aides because they are cheaper and its more efficient.

You don't need a three year university degree to wipe a bum it is a waste of money to consume our time with this low skilled work. But we do it quite often.

Most of what i do is not my responsibility ie: chasing prescriptions the doctor has forgotten to write, emptying bins, restocking shelves, making beds, cleaning etc... But someone must do it, because those who should never seem to do it?

But with a nursing shortage of 150,000 RN's (in Australia alone) i wonder how much more of my time will be wasted.

Chris- Registered Nurse

It is more of a CNA and MA's job to clean patients- but in an extreme scenario no one is exempt from caring for the patients, even doctors.

I think it's based on hospital to hospital based policy and may depend on whether the hospital is unionized. How sad...

I've never seen a RN do anything like that they have CPA's and MA's that do that

As a former LNA, I can tell you that it would be much more comfortable for the patient if they let the aide do it. Nurses are supposed to be caring for their own patients when an aide is overwhelmed. However, I knew many nurses who would tell this to their patients and it is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE!
RN's have definitely paid their dues and wiped and cleaned hundreds if not thousands of patients. Plus, they make over twice the amount of the aides per hour. Let them do some work besides sitting around gossiping with the other nurses. Unless he/she is making you feel bad, which they tend to like to do, under which conditions I would just wait for the aide. We have seen it all, so do not be embarassed or worried about it. Good Luck. And I do like most nurses. Most nurses would never say such a stupid thing to a patient, though. I am so sorry that happened to you.