© Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc., Atlanta, GAFrom The Teaching Book. Use restricted by license agreement.

Putting on elastic stockings

Elastic stockings may be used if someone sits or lies in bed for longperiods of time. The stockings can help blood flow and preventblood clots in the legs and swelling in the ankles and feet. Followthese steps to put them on:

1. Have the patient put his legs up for 30 minutes before you put the stockings on. This helps move the blood back to the heart.

2. Wash* and dry your hands. Tell the patient what you are going to do.

3. Have him lie back on the bed or sit in a chair with his foot in your lap. Put cornstarch powder over foot and leg to help stocking slide. Look for signs of decreased circulation, such as change in skin color.

4. Gather up the stocking down to the heel or invert the leg of thestocking back over the foot area to the heel area. Holding both sides of it, slide foot part of stocking over his foot. Pull the stocking up his leg. Make sure there aren’t any wrinkles. If the stocking has a closed toe, gently tug to remove any pressureon toes. Put stocking on the other leg the same way.

5. Wash* and dry your hands.

30minutes

CARE OF ELASTIC STOCKINGSTo wash stockings by hand, use mild liquid soap and lukewarm water.Rinse well. Squeeze excess moisture from stockings using a towel.

Hang to dry overnight. Do this every 1–2 days.

*You may use a waterless alcohol-based hand rub instead of washing your hands.

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