ABSTRACT
To determine the impact of Healing Touch on vital signs, adult intensive care unit patients were recruited from multiple hospital sites. Both pain and agitation improved and there was a significant change in hemodynamics that reflected a calming effect. Healing Touch may be considered a respected addition to symptom management.
Subject(s)
Critical Care/standards , Therapeutic Touch/standards , Vital Signs/physiology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cohort Studies , Critical Care/methods , Critical Care/psychology , Female , Humans , Intensive Care Units/organization & administration , Intensive Care Units/statistics & numerical data , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Therapeutic Touch/methods , Therapeutic Touch/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
Biofield therapies such as Healing Touch and Reiki increase relaxation, decrease anxiety and stress, and improve mood. Understanding the efficacy of these therapies in terms of mental health wellness is important for nurses interested in complementary and integrative care. The goal of the present integrative review was to investigate the state of knowledge regarding biofield therapies and the impact on anxiety, mood, and mental health wellness. Electronic databases were searched for articles available in English and published from 2014 to 2016. Biofield therapies show safety and promise in reducing anxiety, improving mood, and cultivating mental health and wellness.
Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders/therapy , Complementary Therapies , Mental Health , Mood Disorders/therapy , HumansABSTRACT
Acute care nursing is currently undergoing unprecedented change, with health systems becoming more open to nonpharmacological approaches to patient care. Healing Touch (HT) may be a valuable intervention for acute care patients. Research has shown that HT helps both the patient and the caregiver; however, no study to date has examined the impact that the education of nurses in and their use of HT have on daily care delivery in the acute care setting. The purpose of the current qualitative study was to examine the use of HT by registered nurses in the acute care setting during their delivery of patient care, as well as the impact of education in and use of HT on the nurses themselves. Five themes were identified: (1) use of HT techniques, processes, and sequence; (2) outcomes related to HT; (3) integration of HT into acute care nursing practice; (4) perceptions of HT, from skepticism to openness; and (5) transformation through HT. Education in HT and delivery of this modality by nurses in the acute care setting provide nurses with a transformative tool to improve patient outcomes.
Subject(s)
Nurses/psychology , Nurses/standards , Nursing Care/methods , Therapeutic Touch/standards , Adult , Female , Focus Groups , Humans , Inpatients/psychology , Middle Aged , Qualitative Research , Surveys and Questionnaires , Therapeutic Touch/nursingABSTRACT
Given the current transformation of traditional health care to provide more integrative and complementary modalities, health systems are implementing new programs and services to meet consumer and provider needs. One such integrative modality, Healing Touch, with a foundation in holistic nursing, is a gentle therapy that uses touch to promote health and well-being by balancing the human energy system. This article describes the perceptions of registered nurses regarding the implementation of a Healing Touch training program at a multihospital health system. Five themes were identified: benefit to the patient, benefit to the nurse, holism beyond task orientation, integrating Healing Touch into acute care, and barriers and challenges. Nurses recognize the importance of creating caring-healing relationships and a holistic approach to care. Training in Healing Touch provides one avenue for nurses and health care providers to provide compassionate care.
Subject(s)
Hospitals/trends , Nurses/psychology , Perception , Therapeutic Touch/nursing , Adult , Female , Focus Groups , Holistic Nursing/education , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Therapeutic Touch/psychologyABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Given the growth in the number of bariatric surgeries, it is important for healthcare practitioners to maximize symptom management for these patients, including the option of complementary therapies such as Healing Touch. OBJECTIVE: A quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine the feasibility of a Healing Touch intervention for reducing pain, nausea, and anxiety in patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. DESIGN: Following surgery, a nurse administered the Healing Touch intervention once daily. Study participants reported levels of pain, nausea, and anxiety immediately before and after the Healing Touch intervention using separate numeric rating scales. RESULTS: Significant decreases in pain, nausea, and anxiety were observed immediately following the intervention on post-operative days one and two, and in pain and anxiety on post-operative day three compared with pre-intervention levels. These findings indicate that the Healing Touch intervention is feasible and acceptable to patients undergoing bariatric surgery, and significantly improved pain, nausea, and anxiety in these patients.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/prevention & control , Bariatric Surgery/adverse effects , Nausea/prevention & control , Pain Management , Pain , Postoperative Complications/prevention & control , Therapeutic Touch , Adult , Anxiety/etiology , Anxiety Disorders/etiology , Anxiety Disorders/therapy , Bariatric Surgery/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nausea/etiology , Pain/etiology , Pilot Projects , TouchABSTRACT
New legislative mandates, evaluation metrics, and patient demand have led acute care organizations to expand their patient-centered care model to include the use of complementary therapies. One multihospital health system is offering Healing Touch training to nurses who will provide Healing Touch to self, colleagues, and patients, promoting a caring-healing consciousness.
