Purpose
This policy ensures every client feels safe and protected from being overly exposed during their massage treatment. All therapists must abide by this policy to ensure their clients dignity, sense of security, privacy, modesty, and warmth are maintained during the massage treatment.
Appropriate draping assists in maintaining client/therapist boundaries. It can be considered as a tangible professional boundary between the client and the therapist. Draping provides the therapist with access to the relevant, targeted body part to be worked and helps to delineate between areas being massaged and areas not being massaged.
It is understood massage therapists recognise and respect the right for clients to choose whether to decline treatment based on draping or body positions at any time during assessment and or treatment.
Awakening Vitality’s draping policy aims to:
- Create an environment of safety and security.
- Ensure comfort and temperature control.
- Set and maintain therapist/client boundaries.
To achieve these aims, all therapists must comply with the following:
- Therapist must leave the treatment room before the client undresses and before the client gets off the table. The client must be allowed to get undressed and dressed in private. If assistance is requested by the client, only remain in the clinic room to assist the client on and off the table.
- Clients must wear underwear during the massage treatment and will be refused treatment if not worn. Clients have the right to leave a bra on, and permission must be obtained to undo the bra for treatment.
- Therapist must provide adequate reasons and rationale why they insist on draping, and explain to the client the reason and purpose of draping and why the body is exposed.
- Ensure client consents to the treatment plan and is aware of draping procedure.
- No computer screens or phones are to be open in the treatment room at any time
- Draping techniques must be precise with minimal readjusting.
- Only massage to the edge of the draping and do not go underneath the drape.
- Only expose the area of the body being treated. Unnecessary exposure of any body part is unacceptable during the treatment
- Check that the client is warm enough and comfortable with the drapes provided throughout the treatment.
- Ask clients if they feel comfortable at regular intervals and inform clients when you are about to alter draping.
- Ask the client to hold the drape during some positions to protect their modesty and dignity.
- Maintain draping close to the clients body when changing their position on the table.
- Clients have the right to remain clothed, and massage can be adapted if the client wants to remain clothed.
- Draping will be always used even if client requests for it to be removed.
- Ensure all drapes are clean, laundered, appropriately sized, and not transparent. Clean linen must be used for each client (and not turned over).
- Comfort, modesty, and privacy of the client will be professionally managed and maintained at all times.
- Client has the right to complain about the draping protocol at any time.
- Ensure adequate bolsters, pillows are used to make sure the client is comfortable and safe.
- Before the therapist works on the gluteal area, anterior chest and or pelvis the client must give consent. Treatment to these areas must have relevance to the treatment plan discussed and agreed on.
- Always work within client’s comfort levels particularly in sensate areas as the anterior chest, groin, stomach, and gluteal region.
- Ensure appropriate drapes are used to reflect seasonal changes and temperature as in towels, sheets, sarongs.
- Drapes are to be appropriate for the client’s body type to ensure the body is not exposed unnecessarily.
- Ensure client remains covered when requiring assistance getting on and off the table.
- Adjust draping if client indicates discomfort at any time. This includes non-verbal signs of discomfort such as pulling up a towel.
- Have clear instructions in relation to draping, table position and client moving between supine, prone and lateral positions.
- Fresh draping and linen will be used for each client. All linen will be stored in closed cupboard or container with lid.
Clothing during postural observation
Clients must wear a gown or suitable clothing during postural observations and during treatments that require frequent changes in positioning (e.g. exercise shorts and top). Women must wear a bra and underpants at minimum during postural observations and men must wear underpants. Informed consent must be obtained prior to postural observations and any other techniques that require the active participation of the client.
Massage therapists do not:
- Undrape or touch the perineum or genitals.
- Undrape or touch the breasts unless there is a clear therapeutic rationale for doing so.
- Slide hands underneath the draping or work underneath draping without informed consent.