After bathing the patient you provide a back rub.Why do you do this?.
1.It is an opportunity for me to see the back of the patient, looking for any skin break down. 2.It is overall conditioning of the body.
3.It help to stimulate and relax the patient.
4. It will improve circulation and open a conversation between you and your patient. A patient once told me ,”do you know that you are the first person doing this? “.I kept quiet but smiled,it is not surprising because it can be busy. ?Moreover nurses believed that is the function of a nursing assistant. It too me only 5minutes to message her back effectively.( Use warn water and don’t use cold lotion)
5.Use lotion to massage your patient back.Also change the linen and provide patient a clean gown.Please follow your facility policy and procedures. (Know the diagnosis of your patient)It took only 5minutes to do a thorough massage.
The truth is that nursing job can be very busy if you want to provide tender loving care especially if you have unfair assignment. But some days assignment can be fair .
Contraindications for back rub.
- Back injury patient.
- Rib fracture patient.
- Back surgery patient.
- Patient refusal.
- Never use alcohol for back rub.
- It is important to take care of the back.Every part of the body has to be in agreement for an individual to function efficiently. If the back is not in alignment with the rest of the body it will be difficult to perform basic functions such as clean the dishes, bending down, sitting down, wearing your underwears or even performing your daily activity function. Same thing in a human being relationship. You cannot massage a patient with back surgery. I had to fix my right knee for my back to cooperate with my ability to move.Do not wait for outcome be the outcome.
Nurses You Move Me 