This qualitative study reports 12 patients' experiences following the unplanned and unexpected termination of their healing touch treatments. Physically disabled, chronically ill patients requiring nursing home levels of care, who were being assisted in staying at home with agency support, had been treated one to two times weekly to monthly over a period of 3 to 4 months by a healing touch practitioner, under a pilot study. Patients had been interviewed twice during their treatments and had described positive experiences with healing touch. Midway through the study, there was an abrupt stopping of treatments without warning or explanation to either patients or researchers. Naturalistic inquiry methodology was used to explore patients' subsequent reactions and experiences. Six patients had negative experiences, including increased pain and impaired functional ability, sleep, and emotional status. Six patients continued to have positive experiences after treatments were terminated. Estimates of potential cost savings with healing touch treatment, as well as ethical implications of discontinuing beneficial treatment without warning or replacement, are discussed.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. (1997). The practice of nursing research: Conduct, critique and utilization (3rd ed.). Philadelphia : W. B. Saunders.
2.
Butts, J., & Rich, K. (2005). Nursing ethics: Across the curriculum and into practice. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.
3.
Cook, C., Guerrerio, J., & Slater, V. (2004). Healing Touch and quality of life in women receiving radiation treatment for cancer: A randomized controlled trial. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 10(3), 24-42.
4.
Cordes, P., Proffitt, C., & Roth, J. (2002, June). The effect of Healing Touch therapy on the pain and joint mobility experienced by patients with total knee replacements . Healing Touch Newsletter.
5.
Daley, B. (1997). Therapeutic Touch, nursing practice and contemporary cutaneous wound healing research. Journal of Advance Nursing , 25,1123-1132.
6.
Deiner, D. (2001). A pilot study of the effect of chakra connection and magnetic unruffle on perception of pain in people with fibromyalgia. Healing TouchNewsletter, Research Edition, 01(3), 7-8.
7.
DiPiro, J., Talbert, R., Yee, G., Matzke, G., Wells, B., & Posey, M. (2005). Pharmacotherapy. New York: McGraw-Hill.
8.
Eden, D. (1998). Energy medicine. New York: Penguin Putnam.
9.
Ferrell-Torey, A., & Glick, O. (1993). The use of therapeutic massage as a nursing intervention to modify anxiety and the perception of cancer pain. Cancer Nursing, 16, 93-101.
10.
Gagne, D., & Toye, R. (1994). The effects of Therapeutic Touch and relaxation in reducing anxiety. Archives ofPsychiatric Nursing, 8, 184-189.
11.
Gelhaart, C., & Dail, P. (2000). Effectiveness of Healing Touch and Therapeutic Touch on elderly residents of long-term care facilities on reducing pain and anxiety levels. Healing Touch Newsletter, 0(3), 8.
12.
Giasson, M., & Bouchard, L. (1998). Effect of Therapeutic Touch on the well being of persons with terminal cancer. Journal of Holistic Nursing , 16, 383-398.
13.
Gerber, R. (2000). Vibrational medicine for the 21st century. New York: HarperCollins.
14.
Gordon, A., Merenstein, J., D'Amico, F., & Hudgens, D. (1998). The effects of Therapeutic Touch on patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Journal of Family Practice, 47, 271-277.
15.
Guerrerio, J., Slater, V., & Cook, C. (2001). The effect of Healing Touch on radiation induced fatigue in women receiving radiation therapy for gynecological or breast cancer . Healing Touch Newsletter, 01(3), 5.
16.
Healing Touch International. Retrieved March 27, 2006, from www.healingtouch.net
17.
Heidt, P. (1981). Effect of Therapeutic Touch on anxiety level of hospitalized patients. Nursing Research, 30, 32-37.
18.
Hover-Kramer, D., Mentgen, J., & Scandrett-Hibdon, S. (1996). Healing Touch: A resource for health care professionals. Albany, NY: Delmar.
19.
Krieger, D. (1993). Accepting your power to heal: The personal practice of Therapeutic Touch. Santa Fe, NM: Bear & Company.
20.
Kunz, D., & Peper, E. (1985). Fields and their clinical implications. In Kunz, D. (Ed.), Spiritual aspects of the healing arts (pp. 213-261). Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House.
21.
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: SAGE Publications.
22.
Meehan, M. (1991).Therapeutic Touch and postoperative pain: A Rogerian research study. Nursing Science Quarterly, 6, 69-77.
23.
Mentgen, J. (1994). Advanced healing touch I course. Minneapolis, MN.
24.
Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded source-book (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
25.
Oschman, J., & Pert, C. (2000). Energy medicine: The scientific basis. London: Churchill Livingstone.
26.
Osterlund, H. (1997). Healing Touch at the Queen's Medical Center. Healing TouchNewsletter, 7(2), 4-5.
27.
Owens, M., & Ehrenrich, D. (1991).Application of nonpharmacologic methods of managing chronic pain. Holistic Nursing Practice, 6, 32-40.
28.
Peck, S. (1997). The effectiveness of Therapeutic Touch for decreasing pain in elders with degenerative arthritis. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 15, 176-198.
29.
Peck, S. (1998). The effectiveness of Therapeutic Touch for improving functional ability in elders with degenerative arthritis. Nursing Science Quarterly, 11, 123-132.
30.
Peck, S. (2007). The experience of elders and adults with chronic illness receiving healing touch: A naturalistic inquiry. Manuscript in preparation.
31.
Quinn, J. (1984). Therapeutic Touch as energy exchange: Testing the theory. Advances inNursing Science, 6(2), 42-49.
32.
Silva, C. (1996). The effects of relaxation touch on the recovery level of postanesthesia abdominal hysterectomy patients (abstract). Alternative Therapies, 2(4), 94.
33.
Slater, V. (2004). Human holistic and energetic responses following a tornado. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 22, 85-92.
34.
State of Wisconsin Bureau of Quality Compliance. (2000). Retrieved April 20, 2007, from http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/rl_DSL/NHs?NH03007.htm .
35.
Stone, J., Wyman, J., & Salisbury, S. (1999). Clinical gerontological nursing. Philadelphia,: W. B. Saunders.
36.
Tesch, R. (1990). Qualitative research: Analysis types and software tools. Bristol, PA: Falmer.
37.
Tideiksaar, R. (2002). Falls in older people: Prevention and management . Baltimore: Health Professions Press.
38.
Turner, J., Clark, A., Gauthier, D., & Williams, M. (1998). The effect of Therapeutic Touch on pain and anxiety in burn patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28, 10-20.
39.
Wardell, D. (2003). Basic healing touch sequence. Healing Touch, International Newsletter, 3(2), 1.
40.
Wells, P. (2002). Can technology reduce health care costs? Engineering Management Journal, August, 194-200.
41.
Wenzel, L. (1998). The lived experience of Therapeutic Touch in families with degenerative arthritis. Unpublished scholarly project for the master's degree, University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire.
42.
Weymouth, K., & Sandberg-Louis, S. (2000). Comparing the efficacy of Healing Touch and chiropractic adjustment in treating chronic low back pain: A pilot study. Healing TouchNewsletter, 00(3), 7-8.
43.
Wirth, D. (1992). The effect of non-contact Therapeutic Touch on the healing rate of full thickness dermal wounds. Cooperative Connection, 13(3), 2-8.
