Building bodily confidence through personal Hygiene.

  confidounds really odd for anyone to be discussing about personal hygiene. We all consider it normal to wake up and take a bath before heading out. What else then? My opinion became very different when a nurse spoke on personal hygiene during our clinical posting.This nurse came into the ward and all the mothers staying with their admitted children started dusting the beds and laying them. I thought something was happening because these women were sitting calmly about 5 minutes ago. 

     This nurse was in her mid 60s. She was definitely the one enforcing tidiness and personal hygiene in that ward. She came into the ward and addressed the women. She was pointing out what they should have done and how they can improve their health and that of their children and family with the personal hygiene routine they practice. I was literally counting the points this nurse was giving and I was almost screaming 'Ha!!'.

It seemed like it was impossible to do everything she had mentioned in a day. Won't I do something else? How would I even remember this? Different things we ignore and don't take note of, this nurse was just linking them to how infection could get into our body through those habits. She wasn't only preaching personal hygiene again, she did a great job in scaring me that very day. 'So because I didn't wash my hands after touching money this can happen? Ha!' That was like my reaction throughout.

     I would have also loved to put that atmosphere of 'if you don't do this, this will happen to you' out, but no. Let's understand it amicably. Or won't we? 

📌Take your bath at least twice daily.

📌Take a shower after a long walk under the sun.

📌Wash your hands before and after eating.

📌Brush your teeth at least twice daily.

📌Wash your clothes and avoid using dirty clothes.

📌Do not use dirty underwears.

Someone might have scrolled off. Those ones are the routine ones right? Okay, let's consider these ones too:

📌Scrub your feet and ankle area with a soft brush daily.

📌Wash your hair at least twice a week.(I still don't understand how ladies would go about this.)

📌Wash your hands after coming in contact with money, waste, raw food, pets and animals. 

📌Cut your finger and toe nails weekly to avoid breeding microorganisms under them.

📌Do not sneeze into your hands. Do that into a tissue or your elbow or sleeves. 

📌Floss your teeth daily and rinse your teeth after each meal. (After an owambe rice, find somewhere to do this)

📌 Sundry clothes properly but do not leave them for too long outside. 

📌You can iron underwears as heat would kill any germs and make it more sterile before wearing.  

You might not find yourself doing all of these right now, but as you do so you help yourself and you also improve your health. You are also comfortable and confident. Definitely after you've just brushed your teeth for the 3rd time that day and a young guy says 'hi'. Shade will open all her mouth to say 'Hello'. 

©️ Olufayo, Ebunoluwa Oluwafunmilola.

The Writing Isadora.

Logbook of a Student Nurse. 

Monday, February 20, 2023.