Patients wants a back rub

grandpaj · Jul 20, 2015

I refer people to the massage therapist at the hospital. She leaves cards at the nurses' station and patients can make appointments for her to come to their rooms once the provider has given approval.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2015

Thankfully we have a massage therapist assigned to our service line. She does shoulders, neck, arms, lower legs and feet. She even dims the lights and uses aromatherapy while she's doing it. I really don't think I could massage a patient...she is a lifesaver!

Wish my hospital offered this as a service to the patients. Bet it makes good sense business wise too, help bring up the almighty press-gainey scores.

ComeTogether, LPN · Jul 20, 2015

Back rubs are still taught in my program as part of bathing the patient.

Mine too. Just discussed it this week, in fact.

amzyRN · Jul 20, 2015

I'd give a back rub but not every time I go into the room. I had a patient who was from China and he kept asking me to rub his back. I did it once and that was it because I didn't have time to keep rubbing his back. He was a very anxious patient and maybe they do more back rubs in China or something, who knows but the repeated request was kind of peculiar to me. I do agree with touch as being a method of healing though and have given little old ladies that were my patients a hand massage. I do this for my grandma too.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2015

I certainly am not giving 15 minute massages, but I turn and position my patients that require is q2h or at least q3h and rub their backs down with barrier cream with a moderate amount of pressure when I do. I can literally see the circulation returning to their skin and the wrinkles leaving their back and the sighs of relief from the patient are so satisfying.

Most certainly agree. Any time I had the opportunity, I would use human touch. Just saying.. the current environment LIMITS the opportunity. I have studied therapeutic touch. I apply my energy any chance I get.

My son has been on the receiving end of my efforts. This is in an environment where I have time to use it. Got rid of his killer headache with my hands.

Just wish all nurses had the time to even try.

Farawyn · Jul 20, 2015

Yeah, and if my "creep-o-meter" went off when a patient asked for a back rub, I would definitely find a tactful way to get out of doing it. But that happened so rarely, it generally wasn't a problem.

Oh. I still did it.

*innocent look*

MunoRN, RN · Jul 20, 2015

I'm all for "touch" when it has a truly therapeutic indication. I do work with a couple of nurses who like to give out "touch" a bit more freely and often share with me on report how much their patient benefited from the massage they gave them (and that this is why they left the trip to CT for me to do). Maybe because I'm a male nurse, male patients sometimes feel it's OK to share their true views on the massage they just got, which essentially involves explaining how they just experienced a real life Media-cliche.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2015

Most certainly agree. Any time I had the opportunity, I would use human touch. Just saying.. the current environment LIMITS the opportunity. I have studied therapeutic touch. I apply my energy any chance I get.
My son has been on the receiving end of my efforts. This is in an environment where I have time to use it. Got rid of his killer headache with my hands.
Just wish all nurses had the time to even try.

I used to give my D a scalp/forehead/temple massage when she would get headaches, which was not constantly but fairly often. In fact, she had a horrible tension headache a few weeks ago, and she asked me if I would do that. She is 21 now and doesn't "snuggle" like she used to, so I loved it. :)

I could use a good massage right now. DH gets a weekly massage at home. His guy is coming tonight. He is too deep tissue for me, though. I'm a Swedish massage girl, all the way.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2015

Back rubs make my skin crawl. I'm not that nurse. Touchy feely is not in my DNA.

Whatever level of enjoyment my patient received, would be equal to my level of repulsion. That's not an exaggeration.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Jul 21, 2015

Most of my patients are of the neonatal sort so I don't do a lot of back rubs now. But when I worked with adults I did back and shoulder rubs if I had a new mom that had an achy back from holding and nursing a baby or an antepartum who was on bedrest. Those ladies would get so uncomfortable being pregnant and not able to move much in the hospital beds. I enjoyed having the time to do that for them. Even just 10 minutes would make a huge difference in how well they were able to sleep.

Not icky.

Farawyn · Jul 21, 2015

Most of my massage recipients were old contracted dudes/gals. My "intention" was comfort for the patient, not Media clichÃ©. :sniff:

I worked with a MA who would give us massages all the time. She was amazing. I'm not super touchy/feely at first, until I am, and then I'm REALLY touchy feely. I miss her!

Oceanpacific · Jul 21, 2015

I am impressed with those of you that have found meaningful ways to make your patients feel comfort. My ick-factor was with a patient demanding a "back rub" the same way you would tell someone to go pick up your dry cleaning. She wasn't in pain; she was entitled and rude and it "rubbed me the wrong way."

I think massage is wonderful. However, when it is incorporated into "standard hs care" then it is nothing more than a ritual. When used in the thoughtful, considered and individualized way that some of you have presented it is truly caring.

I do wonder though how many of our male colleagues would give back rubs to male patients or female patients? I ask the gender question because I think "back rub" has gender connotations. I am being really genuine here--"male nurses" (sorry), if the trucker in room 212 rings the bell for a back rub, would you have any hesitation in providing it? [irregardless of anyone's sexual orientation, and the trucker could be a woman]