5.17 Skills Checklist: Back Rub
- Gather Supplies: Gloves and lotion
- Routine Pre-Procedure Steps:
- Knock on the resident’s door.
- Perform hand hygiene.
- Maintain respectful, courteous, and professional communication at all times.
- Introduce yourself and identify the resident.
- Provide for privacy.
- Explain the procedure to the resident.
- Procedure Steps:
- Put on gloves.
- Raise the side rail on one side of the bed.
- Move to the opposite side of the bed and assist the resident to roll towards the raised side rail.
- Only expose the resident’s back from the shoulders to the top of the hips.
- Place a quarter-sized circle of lotion on one palm.
- Rub the hands together to warm the lotion.
- Begin with long, gentle strokes starting at the top of hips and moving to the top of the shoulders. Repeat about five times.
- Throughout the back rub, ask the resident if there is any pain or discomfort. If pain is present, stop the procedure and report it to the nurse.
- Apply more lotion to gloved hands as needed to reduce friction on the resident’s skin.
- Make large circles with both hands from the top of hips to the top of shoulders. Repeat about five times.
- Apply additional lotion to gloved hands as needed to reduce friction on resident’s skin.
- Make small circles with both hands from the top of the hips to the top of the shoulders. Repeat about five times.
- Apply additional lotion to gloved hands if needed to reduce friction on resident skin.
- End with long, gentle strokes starting at the top of hips and moving to the top of shoulders. Repeat about five times.
- Remove the gloves, turning them inside out.
- Post-Procedure Steps:
- Perform hand hygiene.
- Cover the resident completely per resident preference.
- Assist the resident to their preferred position.
- Lower the side rail that was raised.
- Check for resident comfort and ask if anything else is needed.
- Ensure the bed is low and locked. Check the brakes.
- Place the call light or signaling device within reach of the resident.
- Open the door and privacy curtain.
- Perform hand hygiene.
- Document and report any skin issues or changes noted with the resident.
View a YouTube video[1] of an instructor demonstrating a backrub:
- Chippewa Valley Technical College. (2022, December 3). Back Rub. [Video]. YouTube. Video licensed under CC BY 4.0. https://youtu.be/CqFgIrLaQ4M ↵
