This document describes the procedure for performing a hot application or hot water bottle application. It defines a hot application as applying dry heat locally using a rubber hot water bottle for a short time. The purposes are to provide warmth and comfort, promote healing, reduce swelling and stiffness, raise body temperature, relieve urine retention and pain/congestion by stimulating blood flow. Contraindications include acute inflammation, unconscious/old/neonate patients, open wounds, malignancy, and high fever. The steps involve preparing materials, checking the water temperature, warming and filling the bottle, applying it to the area as prescribed, and documenting in the patient chart.

1. HOT APPLICATION
By :
A. Augustyan Romeyo,
B.Sc Nursing 2 nd year,
The Kaavery Nursing College,
Mecheri

2. DEFINITION:
LOCAL APPLICATION OF DRY HEAT
TO A SPECIFIC BODY PART FOR A
SHORT DURATION USING A RUBBER
BAG.

3. PURPOSES:
TO PROVIDE WORMTH AND COMFORT.
TO PROMOTE HEALING.
TO REDUCE TISSUE SWELLING AND JOINT STIFFNESS.
TO RAISE BODY TEMPERATURE IN CASE OF
HYPOTHERMIA.
 TO RELIVE RETENTION OF URINE
TO RELIVE PAIN AND CONGESTION BY STIMULATING
BLOOD FLOW.
 TO STIMULATE CIRCULATION BY DILATING BLOOD
VESSELS.

4. INDICATION:
• Strains
• Edemas and inflammations.
• Musle spasams and low back ache.
• Arthritis and stiff joints.
• Urine retention.

5. CONTRAINDICATIONS:
ACUTE INFLAMMATION.
PATIENT WHO ARE UNCONSCIOUS,VERY OLD
AND NEONATES.
OPEN WOUND,ACTIVE HEMORRHAGE.
MALIGNANCY
BLISTERS/BURNS
PATIENTS WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE.

6. ARTICLES:
• A TRAY CONTAINING:
• JUG:TAP WATER FOR MIXING
• HOT WATER:FOR HEATING THE BAG
• DUSTER:TO DRY THE BAG FROM OUTSIDE
• BATH THERMOMETER:TO MEASURE WATER
TEMPERATURE.

7. • KIDNEY TRAY:TO DISCARD SOILED GARBAGE,IF
NECESSARY.
• HOT WATER BAG WITH COVER:FOR LOCAL
APPLICATION .
• TOWEL :TO WRAP THE BOTTLE.
• VASELINE OR OIL IN A BOTTLE:TO APPLY IF
REDNESS DEVELOPS.

8. STEPS OF PROCEDURE
• PREPROCEDURAL STEPS:
• IDENTIFY THE PATIENT.
• PROVIDE EXPLANATION TO THE PATIENT
REGARDING THE PROCEDURE AND CARE TO
BE TAKEN.
• ASSESS SKIN SURFACE AT THE SITE OF
APPLICATION.
• ASSEMBLE ARTICLES.

9. INTRAPROCEDURAL STEPS
• CHECK THE TEMPERATURE(CHILDREN:105*
F,ADULTS:115*F) OF WATER
• WARM THE BAG WITH LITTLE AMOUNT OF HOT
WATER
• FILL 2/3rd OF THE BOTTLE
• PLACE STOPPER BUT DON’T TIGHTEN YET
• EXPEL THE AIR BY PLACING THE HOT WATER
BOTTLE ON A FLAT SURFACE AND PRESSURE
GENTLY
• TIGHTEN STOPPER

10. • HOLD THE BOTTLE UPSIDE DOWN TO CHECK FOR
LEAKAGE
• WASH HANDS
• WIPE OFF ANY MOISTURE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE
BAG
• WRAP/COVER IT AND TAKE IT TO THE BEDSIDE.
• APPLY IT TO THE AREA AS PRESCRIBED
• CHANGE IT AS FREQUENTLY AS REQUIRED AND ASK
THE PATIENT REGARDING DISCOMFORT IF ANY
• ASSESS THE AREA

11. POSTPROCEDURAL STEPS:
• CHECK THE SITE FOR REDNESS,BLISTERS
• TAKE ALL THE ARTICLES TO THE UTILITY ROOM
• EMPTY THE HOT WATER BAG
• WASH OUTSIDE OF THE BAG WITH SOAP AND
WATER AND HANG UPSIDE DOWN TO DRY IT
• DRY THE HOT WATER BOTTLE IN SHADE
• ONCE DRIED,FILL IT WITH AIR AND KEEP IN
WOODEN CUPBOARD.

12. POINTS TO REMEMBER:
• CHECK FOR LEAKAGE IN THE BAG BEFORE USE
• HOT WATER BOTTLE SHOULD BE 2/3RD FULL
AND NOT MORE THAN THAT
• SMALL QUANTITY OF WATER SHOULD BE
USED FOR APPLYING HOT WATER BOTTLE TO
FACE AND ABDOMEN
• ALWAYS COVER THE BOTTLE WHEN THERE IS
DIRECT APPLICATION TO SKIN

13. • WHILE WARMING THE CRIB OF THE BABY
DON’T APPLY HOT WATER BOTTLE TO THE
BABY
• DURING APPLICATION,CHANGE THE POSITION
OF THE HOT WATER BOTTLE AFTER EVERY FIVE
MINUTES
• OBSERVE FOR REDNESS/BURNS/SCALDS OF
THE SKIN INTERMITTENTLY.

14. DOCUMENTATION
• RECORD IN THE PATIENT CHART
• THE TIME
• SITE
• DURATION OF APPLICATION
• EFFECTS OBSERVED

15. Thank You