"DON'T RUB THEIR LEGS!"

"Dont massage their legs because they can go into cariac arrest."

I have gathered this advice from several authorities including my first teacher and one clients own doctor.

If a patient is sedentary for too long you could set a blood clot loose that goes into their brain or their heart

and this is dangerous.

"It takes a doctor's order to massage their legs."

My question is about why I've seen charge nurses and other professionals massaging the legs of elderly

patients and they don't have any explanation for this.

They make no mention of a doctor's order and they

don't say anything about the condition of the patient or how they can tell if this is even safe.

One charge nurse said, "No," that this is not dangerous,

even when the supervisor of our department had told us to, "be careful around their legs," over and over.

Can anyone out there tell me why R.N.s and physical therapists massage the patients' legs

and they seem to have no doctor's order for it and don't have any justification for it.
Um...I guess my question is if they're at such high risk for blood clots why don't they have sequential compression devices on? The only time you wouldn't want to is if there's evidence that a blood clot actually exists...

It depends on the patient. I've seen and assisted PTs who are massaging lower extremeties during ROM on residents with contractures. I have never seen any RN or therapist perform leg massage for any other reason.

We got the same advice back in the day when I was a student. Back then everyone with a DVT was on bedrest to avoid moving the clot along with muscle contractions. Now DVT's are treated as outpatients, with no activity restrictions, so I imagine the ban on leg-rubbing is outdated too.

If they are at risk for blood clots shouldn't they be on an anticoagulent?

I think the big difference is going to be massaging a leg versus doing a quick rub down with lotion. Light rubbing shouldn't cause complications.

LOL, I always worry about throwing a clot when getting a pedicure, Those girls just beat the tar out of my legs....

I sometimes rub the legs to make sure they don't have a DVT. I am not talking about a true massage but just a quick feel of the calves to make sure they are not hard, warm, swollen or tender to the touch. In the hospital there is no time to give anybody a massage, though I think it would be helpful for stress reducation and pain mgmt.

Quote from canoeheadWe got the same advice back in the day when I was a student. Back then everyone with a DVT was on bedrest to avoid moving the clot along with muscle contractions. Now DVT's are treated as outpatients, with no activity restrictions, so I imagine the ban on leg-rubbing is outdated too.

Quote from Saiderap "Dont massage their legs because they can go into cariac arrest." I have gathered this advice from several authorities including my first teacher and one clients own doctor.If a patient is sedentary for too long you could set a blood clot loose that goes into their brain or their heart and this is dangerous. "It takes a doctor's order to massage their legs." My question is about why I've seen charge nurses and other professionals massaging the legs of elderly patients and they don't have any explanation for this. They make no mention of a doctor's order and they don't say anything about the condition of the patient or how they can tell if this is even safe.One charge nurse said, "No," that this is not dangerous,even when the supervisor of our department had told us to, "be careful around their legs," over and over.Can anyone out there tell me why R.N.s and physical therapists massage the patients' legsand they seem to have no doctor's order for it and don't have any justification for it.

Agree with the above. Why are we so concerned about a MD order? It seems so many nurses are mostly concerned with covering their behind (and even with a MD order, if you do it and it's contraindicated, you'll still be asked why you didn't question the order.)There are times I wonder if we'll get a question, "I walked into the patient's room, but I didn't have an MD order to do so, should I have been written up?"

What was explained to me by one patient's doctor, in no uncertain terms,was that there are tests that need to be doneon the patient to show that rubbing the patient's legs is safe. If I had a doctor's order based on tests and I think there are still contraindications, I would ask them about it.Quote from woohAgree with the above. Why are we so concerned about a MD order? It seems so many nurses are mostly concerned with covering their behind (and even with a MD order, if you do it and it's contraindicated, you'll still be asked why you didn't question the order.)There are times I wonder if we'll get a question, "I walked into the patient's room, but I didn't have an MD order to do so, should I have been written up?"