anti-embolitic stockings

Nurses General Nursing

Published

silly, silly question, but:

How do you teach your staff to put on these things properly? Ie: not inside out and in such a way that they don't get ripped.

Perhaps a short inservice with fresh coffee, bagel and cream cheese?

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

1. Begin with the garment inside out. Tuck the foot portion inside up to the heel and hold with both hands.

2. Stretch the sock as wide as possible and pull it onto your foot.

3. Pull the garment over your foot, past your ankle. The garment should be right side out now.

4. Work the garment up, little by little. Avoid over-stretching the fabric.

5. Smooth out any wrinkles and adjust for comfort.

Pictures on this site show how. http://www.sockdoctor.com/FittingQuestions_F2.html

I always liked posters made by staff. Take an old stocking and actually put it on the poster.

Perhaps a short inservice with fresh coffee, bagel and cream cheese?
Hunny, I'd agree to learn almost anything for free food, but this unit nurse is just not gonna pay for that out of her own pocket. ;)

P RN thanks for the suggestion.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I think youd be better off having a short inservice each week for the patients. I have better luck teaching the stocking thing with the patient. I use the same speech, "make sure they dont roll at the top, keep the creases out, and make sure when they help with your bath that they dont leave creases or rolls in them either". It works. I dont know that there is any hope for the staff of understanding those things can cause blisters and pressure sores when rolled or turned down at the top. It's about like trying to teach them there is a cooling fan on the Sequential Hose pump. They just dont get it! Good luck.

P RN, that's exactly how I learned it from one of my instructors years ago, and I always pass it along to the newbies. It is the easiest!

meownsmile, You are so right about the creases, and rolls in the stockings! I teach the PATIENT the correct way also, in hopes that they can correct the future staff that may be applying them haphazardly. Same about the cooling fan on the SCD's. Am forever finding it off when the pt has complained the entire previous shift about how sweaty their legs are.

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