Do you give back-rubs and foot baths to your patients?

[silt]

As a rule, if I'm not too tired, I always give backrubs and take care of my patients feet and legs. I do this on all of them. Others only wash their face and hands and that constitutes a bath. I am sometimes not done until 10:15 at night. Sometimes I'm questioned about why I took so long and I just tell them, "I did complete care on all of them."

No one really argues.

[JZ_RN]

I don't have any time for that. And even if I did I don't really care to touch anyone's feet, and wearing gloves makes it less enjoyable for them to get a foot rub, so no haha.

[champagnesupeRNova]

Yes I give back rubs when I'm burping my patients.

-NICU nurse

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I'm a touchy feely person. I like hugs from friends. When I worked LTC I'd give back scratches and back rubs to a few residents I was close to. Now that I'm med/surge, I don't get to know anyone well enough to give a back rub. I do rub lotion on people's feet if ordered.

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

Back rubs, foot rubs, a good scalp massage...heck, if they're really cranky I'll sit and snuggle with them for an hour or so. Of course, things are a little different in the NICU.

LMAO (I was thinking "Ewww, SNUGGLE with them?")

- Med Surg Nurse

[TX.RN.Shannon]

Back rubs, foot rubs, a good scalp massage...heck, if they're really cranky I'll sit and snuggle with them for an hour or so. Of course, things are a little different in the NICU.

I was getting kinda grossed out thinking about doing this with some of my patients...until I saw the NICU part. :-)

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I just wanna say - the disciples were Jesus' friends. I would rub the back of a friend or wash their feet, no problem. I am comfortable with them. But I don't remember Jesus rubbing backs and feet of strangers. He did heal them though - which I work hard to do my part in.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Nope. Too weird. Maybe in more innocent times.... But those days are long gone.

I *am* a big believer of warming up some Vicks with hand friction, and then massaging it into my elderly pt's sore hands/knees. Works great for arthritis.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Nope. Too weird. Maybe in more innocent times.... But those days are long gone.

I *am* a big believer of warming up some Vicks with hand friction, and then massaging it into my elderly pt's sore hands/knees. Works great for arthritis.

Excellent idea Brandon.. will try it on myself and others.

Just wondering... is this a treatment.. that we would need an order for ?

[nursel56]

Nope. Too weird. Maybe in more innocent times.... But those days are long gone.

I *am* a big believer of warming up some Vicks with hand friction, and then massaging it into my elderly pt's sore hands/knees. Works great for arthritis.

The Menthol LTC, huh? I'm kidding. My mother thought Vicks cured everything Karo Syrup and Calamine Lotion didn't, including swallowing a little bit of it for a persistent dry cough.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Excellent idea Brandon.. will try it on myself and others.Just wondering... is this a treatment.. that we would need an order for ?

Not if nobody knows but you, the resident and the four walls! (seriously, I really doubt you need an order fro some Vicks)

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I never really gave a "back rub" per se, but I would rub on some lotion after a bath on the pts back and legs. Sometimes we would rub into their back or feet the protective ointment that smells like cloves it their skin was super dry and flaky.

I would also rub their back after Chest PT.

I worked ICU by the way.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

My babies get all the snuggles and rubs they need (assuming I have time.) Older kids? For my kids with CP, they generally get some good rubbing if I've got time for it, especially if they don't have a parent with them. All that spasticity has to hurt, especially the ones who are getting twisted scoliosis backs.

When I did adults, the older folks would get some back rubs if I had time, but that was RARE.