Final answer:
Nurses performing a back massage are engaging in an independent nursing action, which they are licensed to initiate based on their professional judgment and skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse giving a patient a massage is performing an independent nursing action. Independent nursing actions are those that a registered nurse is licensed to initiate as a result of the nurse's own knowledge base, skill set, and legal authority. For example, performing a back massage to relieve a patient's tension or stimulate circulation falls within the scope of the nurse's independent practice and does not require a physician's order.