Skill 40
Moist Heat (Compress and Sitz Bath)
A warm compress is a section of sterile or clean gauze moistened with a prescribed heated solution (i.e., normal saline or sterile water) and applied directly to an affected area. Commercially packaged sterile, premoistened compresses are available in some agencies. You heat plain sterile or clean gauze by adding the gauze to a container of warmed solution. Moist heat application also includes the use of warm baths, soaks, and sitz baths. Warm soaks and sitz baths promote circulation, reduce edema and inflammation, promote muscle relaxation, debride wounds, and apply medicated solutions. You give a sitz bath with a special tub or chair basin that allows a patient to sit in water without immersing the legs, feet, and upper trunk.
When preparing a soak or bath, remember that the heated solution is in direct contact with the patient’s skin. Be sure to check water temperature frequently to prevent burns. It is desirable to keep the solution temperature constant to enhance the therapeutic effects of the moist heat. Whenever you add heated solution to a soak basin or bath, remove the patient’s body part and reimmerse once the solution has mixed.
Delegation Considerations
The skill of applying moist heat can be delegated to nursing assistive personnel (NAP). The nurse must assess the condition of the skin and tissues in the area that is treated, evaluate the patient’s response, and explain the purpose of the treatment. The nurse instructs the NAP about:
▪ Proper temperature of the application.
▪ Skin changes to immediately report to the nurse (e.g., burning or excessive redness).
▪ Informing the nurse if the patient complains of dizziness or light-headedness.
▪ Reporting when treatment is complete so an evaluation of the patient’s response can be made.
