When positioning for bedpan use, what should you ensure regarding clothing?

• A. Remove all clothing.
• B. Protect clothing from soiling.
• C. Keep clothing loose but away.
• D. Ignore clothing and proceed.

Answer: (B)

Protecting clothing from soiling is essential when positioning for a bedpan because waste can soil clothing, spread odor, and harbor germs. By shielding the resident’s clothes with a clean sheet or bath blanket and keeping garments in place, you maintain dignity, reduce contamination risk, and make cleanup easier. Only exposing the necessary area for bedpan use while keeping the rest of the clothing covered helps prevent soiling. Removing all clothing would violate privacy and comfort, keeping clothing loose but away can still allow contamination, and ignoring clothing and proceeding is unsafe and unsanitary.