A nursing student who is working on a postsurgical unit assisting patients with personal hygiene plans to provide a back rub to each of her patients

Question

The nursing student discusses the importance of this activity because research demonstrates that it enhances patient comfort and relaxation with the nurse assigned to these patients. The nurse instructs her that back rubs would be con-traindicated on which of the following patients? a. A 56-year-old patient with a colon resec-tion
b. A 45-year-old patient with a spinal cord injury
c. A 67-year-old patient with an appen-dectomy
d. A 24-year-old patient with an abdominal hysterectomy

Answer 1

B
Consult a patient's record for any contraindications to a massage such as spinal cord injury, rib fractures, or other painful conditions. Research shows that slow-stroke back massages of 3 mi-nutes duration and hand massages of 10 minutes significantly improve both physiological and psychological indicators of relaxation in older persons. Always ask whether a patient would like a back rub or if he or she prefers gentle instead of deep massage because some patients dislike physical contact.