Massage

Exam items usually hinge on contraindications and the legs, not technique. The highest-yield trap is a stem with suspected DVT or thrombophlebitis (unilateral calf swelling, warmth, redness, tenderness): never massage that extremity, because pressure can dislodge a clot and trigger a pulmonary embolism. The “tell” is new leg symptoms plus an order to “promote comfort” — the right answer is to hold the massage and notify the provider, not improvise. Also flag bleeding risk (low platelets, anticoagulants), fragile or grafted skin, and acute fractures.

The classic distractor is massage as a pressure-injury preventive: rubbing reddened bony prominences is contraindicated, so reposition instead (some older banks still imply rubbing “stimulates circulation”). Distinguish massage — a hands-on, soft-tissue measure — from relaxation (patient self-administered breathing or imagery) and from comfort and palliation, the broader goals massage serves. Memory hook: massage moves clots, so check the legs first.