How do you pamper your pt's?

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 2, 2003

I love to do backrubs for mine....with lotion, warmed in my hands. Then, I place warm packs to their backs (or tummies if they are cramping after birth). Ya know another thing some love is hand massage. Something so relaxing about that. Another "pampering" thing I do is if we are slow enough, I offer to take their babies out for a while and rock them so they can have a 3 or 4 hour uninterrupted nap. This may not qualify as pampering to some, but in a hospital where couplet care is done, it can be, especially when they are exhausted from having visitors all day long.

anitame · Jan 2, 2003

My favorite comfort measure is warm blankets. We have a blanket warmer right next to our LDRPs, perfect for laboring or postpartum patients. AND the daddies like them too :).

Can't forget the food! And lots of it. The kitchen brings us a snack tray around 2000 with different nice salads. I take a little of everything I can find, fruit, ice cream, pudding, sandwiches, hot chocolate, etc etc. Enough for mom, dad and sibs if they're still there. Often the families are starving after a long labor (especially the fresh deliveries) but they don't realize we have food available after dinner. Mix all the food with a little Motrin or T3 and they usually get a good nap!

Anita

OBNURSEHEATHER · Jan 2, 2003

I just like to keep my moms comfortable. I keep them fed, I keep them happy. This usually just means doing damage control with visitors, and sticking up for them.

They're either going home to a new, unfamilar experience, or to a couple more screaming brats. I want to make their couple of days with me calm.

Heather

mark_LD_RN · Jan 3, 2003

depends I usually do what ever i can to make them happy, during labor i will rub their backs hold hands sit at their bedside rub their feet or what ever makes them comfortable. I keep my patients clean and happy:).

I have been known to wash their feet on occassion.:)

mark_LD_RN · Jan 5, 2003

one other thing i noticed is my patient really like me to let the rest their head on my chest or shoulder while i rub their back when they are in Labor. not sure why but they like it. only problem i have is sometimes my patients wont let me leave the room:), makes for a lot of backed up charting.

mother/babyRN, RN · Jan 8, 2003

I think pts like that support because they know their nurse is there for them. I have to let some significant others know that the pt often wants the nurse to do that and not them, and to try not to take it personally. I also love to warm a wet towel in the microwave (1 min 20 sec per side), fold it, wrap it in a chux, tape it, and then put that in a pillowcase, which is also taped closed. The wetter the towel to begin with, the longer the heat goes on. With back labor or kidney discomfort, I find that is pretty comforting. Also, enjoy warming up alph keri oil or lotion in water (we have a boiling water spigot), and then giving an extended back massage...Sometimes, if the pt desires, will also do the very same heated massage ( or effluage) gently on the gravid belly. I always ask first if the pt is willing, and those are just some of the few things I try to do, both with delivery patients and restless, sleep deprived post partum patients and gyn people...