Theraphy and Patient Charting

With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 (or coronavirus), it's a good time to review proper hygiene and sanitization practices for massage therapists.

These are standard precautions you should be taking already. You don't need to be showing symptoms of illness or seeing them in your clients to practice hygiene. COVID-19 and other diseases can be asymptomatic.

Make these practices a regular part of your routine, and you'll be going a long way toward protecting yourself and your clients.

Do's

• Send clients home if they come in sick.
• Wash your hands frequently-between clients, before and after eating, after touching your face, after touching surfaces you aren't sure are sterilized. Follow the World Health Organization's (WHO) hand-washing routine.
• Show clients how to wash their hands using the WHO routine using alcohol-based hand sanitizer before they get on the table.
• Use hospital-grade bactericide and virucide wipes to clean all oil and lotion bottles, pillows, tools, face cradle and table between each client.
• Wipe down your phone or tablet between clients if used for signature payments.
• Wipe down often used or shared surfaces in your office such as door handles and computer keyboards.
• Change sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and face cradle covers between each client.

Don'ts

• Don't go to work if you're sick.
• Don't use lambswool covers or heating pads without covering them with a vinyl table cover.
• Don't stack sheets or face cradle covers on top of each other to peel off with each client.
• Don't use pillows without a vinyl cover.
• Don't cover blankets with a sheet and just change the sheet.

To sum it up, keep calm and wash your hands.

In health,
Diana