Toileting

In health care, toileting is the act of assisting a dependent patient with his/her elimination needs. Depending on a patient's condition, his/her toileting needs may need to be met differently. This could be by assisting the patient to walk to a bathroom, to a portable commode, onto a bedpan, or to provide a male patient with a urinal. A more dependent or incontinent patient may have his/her toileting needs met solely through the use of disposable briefs.

Methods of toileting

The methods used for toileting patients vary for each patient, depending on the needs of the particular patient.

Ambulatory assistance

Some patients can walk with assistance from another person, usually a health care worker. Aside from the need for this help, they are capable of meeting their own elimination needs.

Bedpan

Patients who cannot get out of bed easily but are continent are able to request a bedpan. The bedpan is placed underneath the patient, who can urinate or defecate as needed.

Some patients are able to place their own bedpans under themselves, and assistance is required only to empty them after the fact.