Back rub program

prmenrs, RN · Dec 2, 2008

I learned to give back rubs in nursng school (granted, that was before they invented the wheel). It was part of "pm care": Take pt to the bathroom, wash hands and face, brush teeth, give a backrub--hopefully to give them a restful night's sleep.

We also were taught that back rubs were part of a bed bath--stimulate circulation, make pt feel good.

It's a nice thing to do, IF you have time--which is rare on most med-surg units these days.

I'm curious: why don't you feel comfortable giving a back rub?

CuriousMe · Dec 2, 2008

I learned to give back rubs in nursng school (granted, that was before they invented the wheel). It was part of "pm care": Take pt to the bathroom, wash hands and face, brush teeth, give a backrub--hopefully to give them a restful night's sleep.
We also were taught that back rubs were part of a bed bath--stimulate circulation, make pt feel good.
It's a nice thing to do, IF you have time--which is rare on most med-surg units these days.
I'm curious: why don't you feel comfortable giving a back rub?

I was taught to give backrubs at hs or bedbath this term in nursing school. So, it's not just something that was only taught before the wheel was invented :)

I'd second the question to the OP though, what makes you uncomfortable?

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2008

dont you want to make your patient feel beter? what is wrong with the back rub?

if you were in a bed for an outrageous amount of hours i bet you would like yours rubed!

It is part of the profession, part of care!

if you have or not time for it, it is different, but if you do... i don't get why wouldn't you be uncomfortable with it???

sweetsounds · Dec 2, 2008

You know, I usually say that I'd rather clean poop. But this requires some qualifying. I am a veteran of those backrub days, even prior to my RN. I actually tell people that I don't mind at all to do it for my little old ladies or even young males, for that matter, if they are truly infirm. I hate like anything to be expected to do it for some 30 something who will be discharged to home in 1-2 days. And I'll tell you, that's exactly who will ask for (no make that demand) a backrub! I understand that the facility wants to "fluff and buff" the patients and some of them have need of it, but to basically service the 2nd category is worse than demeaning. The facility should encourage the nurses to provide this comfort for the patients whom they see a benefit for. Of course, the hospital is more likely to see the benefit of the 30-something's free advertising because your truly ill patients aren't really going to spread the word. This all goes to the facilty's "satisfaction rating." The healthier you are or the better suport system you have the squeakier of a wheel you can be.

prmenrs, RN · Dec 2, 2008

We certainly didn't give everyone a backrub--mostly, if they were sick enough to need a bedbath, they got a backrub, too. People who can get up and take a shower don't need to get one.

missjennmb · Dec 2, 2008

I guess I just don't see it as a big deal, either for the 30 something or the old lady. I do kind of see it as more of a CNA ish thing, if there are CNAs around, (myself included - I always give back rubs as part of bed baths). But if I worked on a unit where we provided total care, I would have no problem with it. Its not just for physical discomfort, but also for emotional discomfort, and no matter WHAT they are in the hospital for, being in the hospital is, for many, a very uncomfortable experience. Whats wrong with making it less so? We take so much away from patients in taking their clothes and telling them what they can and cannot eat, do, who can see them naked, etc etc, whats wrong with giving something back?

chevyv, BSN, RN · Dec 2, 2008

I never knew the importance of a back rub until I was a pt. I kept insisting to the cna that nobody was washing me up or touching me. I was sure I could do it myself. I was really not capable of doing any of it and couldn't even get out of bed. Eventually, the cna talked me down off my high horse and I became just a regular pt. I never caught her name, but I'll never forget her. She gave me a bed bath, changed my sheets, and gave me a back rub. When she was done, I felt so much better. I know how a pt feels before and after. I can honestly say that I was so much more relaxed and comfortable (those beds are not comfortable) and she really took only about 10 minutes for everything. I'd been doing this for pts for 12 yrs and never knew the extent of what I was really doing for them. So yes, give those back rubs when you can!

PNWNusingStudent · Dec 3, 2008

Maybe it is an intimacy issue. I know your thinking we bathe the patients, dress them, provide peri care, change their bed linen etc, how much more intimate could that be? But for some back rubs are a different kind of intimacy something that is shared between two people that are very close personally. I could be wrong on this but there was someone in our class that when this was brought up those were her reasons. She has since gotten over this but it was tough for her for awhile. She realized how this relaxed the patients and made it easier for them to get some rest and also realized that the 10 minutes or so spent doing this also cut down on the amount of time she made call light runs for restless patients.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2008

see what i dont get is that one can clean peoples behind, and insert a foley, but can't do a back rub?

PNWNusingStudent · Dec 3, 2008

I hear ya.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Dec 3, 2008

How did things evolve into nurses feeling uncomfortable giving the patients back rubs? Have we gotten that unfeeling? Is this the result of too much daycare instead of mommies taking care of their kids and nurturing them? Giving back rubs was taught as part of my nursing curriculum 30+ years ago in basic nursing fundamentals in first semester. It promotes circulation and relaxation and gives you time to interact with the patient. A back rub, a clean gown and a clean draw sheet (many don't know what that is) was expected to be done on every patient as part of their am and pm care when they were hospitalized--a practice that started to be abandoned when hospitals went to all RN staffs in the 80s and nursing assistants started disappearing from the halls. It is why that bottle of lotion appears in the admission packs. This activity is quite refreshing to a patient who lies is a bed all day. I say that if a nurse is afraid to touch a patient they do not belong in this profession. And that is my :twocents: . If there are younguns who are offended, so be it.