The Hospital Spa

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was working in the ICU the other day and was in a patient's room preparing to perform a procedure. Some family members were there visiting and were about to leave.

One of the visitors said to the patient, "Enjoy yourself here, it's like a spa. Let the nurses pamper you. Let them do everything and just relax. I would love to have a few days here and have someone else pamper me."

This comment really rubbed me the wrong way. An ICU is the equivalent to a spa? I haven't been to a spa in a long time, but if it's like a hospital, then I think I'll pass on a day at the spa!!

Specializes in Psych.
I always thought it might be relaxing to have a few days with a remote control and a morphine PCA! Just a little vacation from reality would be nice now and then. ;)

I was thinking just the other day how nice it must be to be one of those celebrities that checks themselves into the hospital for 'exhaustion'...like it's some sort of SPA where they can recharge their batteries.

I know they're actually there for other reasons they don't want made public, but I always wonder how many people hear that and really do think you can go to a hospital just to relax?

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Specializes in Adult Stem Cell/Oncology.

During one of my first shifts volunteering on an oncology floor, another volunteer and I were getting various items for a newly admitted patient: emesis basin, gown, towels, lotion, etc.... When we came into the room, she said she would really love a back massage! Luckily for me, the other volunteer immediately put on gloves and started the massage! I made a quick exit to go see if any IV alarms were going off that the nurses would need to know about.....

I'm more than happy to shave sick patients who are unable to do so, feed patients, bring fresh water, warm blankets, etc.... but give massages??? What's next, pedicures? ;)

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Back in the day, you're butt would be on the line if you didn't give your patient a back massage. Nowadays, there isn't enough time to do such a thing.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Actually, sometimes there IS time for a short backrub. I give them sometimes. People get uncomfortable lying in bed for so long. I think a backrub is a good part of holistic care.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Actually, sometimes there IS time for a short backrub. I give them sometimes. People get uncomfortable lying in bed for so long. I think a backrub is a good part of holistic care.

I give them more in ICU than I did when I worked in progressive care. Sometimes having two patients is lovely. I love doing total care. The CNAs get upset with me because they'll set a time to bath a patient with me so they can help and by the time they get there, I'm already done with it.

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Specializes in ER.
During one of my first shifts volunteering on an oncology floor, another volunteer and I were getting various items for a newly admitted patient: emesis basin, gown, towels, lotion, etc.... When we came into the room, she said she would really love a back massage! Luckily for me, the other volunteer immediately put on gloves and started the massage! I made a quick exit to go see if any IV alarms were going off that the nurses would need to know about.....

I'm more than happy to shave sick patients who are unable to do so, feed patients, bring fresh water, warm blankets, etc.... but give massages??? What's next, pedicures? ;)

massages, or therapeutic touch, is actually part of nursing school. That would be as a means to relieve pain or reduce tension for a sick person, though, in my opinion. Or a woman in labor, and I would have to be the one to offer, not the other way around. That's just a little creepy.

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, Cath Lab.

Don't forget your 4 AM wake up call to the tune of lab..ABG's and then a nice chest xray to top it all off!

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Sounds like to me that the person that said it had never been in the hospital for anything!

Actually, it's amazing how difficult it is for people to find something to say in a stressful situation. Bless them for trying.

Now, having said that, I too would have said something back in a joking manner.

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Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.
During one of my first shifts volunteering on an oncology floor, another volunteer and I were getting various items for a newly admitted patient: emesis basin, gown, towels, lotion, etc.... When we came into the room, she said she would really love a back massage! Luckily for me, the other volunteer immediately put on gloves and started the massage! I made a quick exit to go see if any IV alarms were going off that the nurses would need to know about.....

I'm more than happy to shave sick patients who are unable to do so, feed patients, bring fresh water, warm blankets, etc.... but give massages??? What's next, pedicures? ;)

I was taught effleurage in nursing school!

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

One of the visitors said to the patient, "Enjoy yourself here, it's like a spa. Let the nurses pamper you. Let them do everything and just relax. I would love to have a few days here and have someone else pamper me."

I burned out (think textbook case of burn out!) of hospital nursing over 3 years ago now. I ran from the bedside screaming! Anyways, there are many reasons I burned out. But one reason was this: In the 14 years I was a hospital nurse, I noticed patients and families becoming increasingly demanding over the years. The families were often the worst actually. They seemed to confuse the hospital and nurse with a hotel and maid! I blame it partly on the hospitals themselves and how they started promoting themselves in the late 1990's or so. "Special kind of care", patient as a customer, and Plaintree garbage. Yet, the hospital did not at the same time improve nurse to patient ratios. So, the hospitals upped patient and family expectations, but did not increase staffing to allow the nurses to meet these expectations. In theory, some of this "special kind of care" stuff is great. (I would have loved to have had the time to give my patients extra TLC like bedtime back rubs.) But it is unrealistic!! Totally unrealistic! How can a nurse with 6 to 10 patients do "everything" for every patient??!! (I worked med-surg and cardiology.) It is not possible!! Well, that is my rant...

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
or stick them with various needles and tubes.

now, now... people pay big money for acupuncture and colonics...

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I was thinking just the other day how nice it must be to be one of those celebrities that checks themselves into the hospital for 'exhaustion'...like it's some sort of SPA where they can recharge their batteries.

I know they're actually there for other reasons they don't want made public, but I always wonder how many people hear that and really do think you can go to a hospital just to relax?

I have a relative who, when she was married to her first husband, would find a way to get admitted to the hospital, often for surgery, at least once a year. I asked our mutual relative if her husband (who came out after the divorce :eek: ) was a pervert and she did this so she would have a legitimate excuse to fend him off, but he said that wasn't the case.

This is the same relative I have mentioned in other threads whose ex had to pay the kids' medical bills, and she would take them to the ER just to soak him with medical bills.

:down:

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