Increasingly, research is demonstrating the safety, efficacy, and patient satisfaction associated with use of nonpharmacological, complementary interventions for pain management in hospital settings. One such intervention, massage, has been found to be effective for pain and anxiety reduction in limited forms, such as described here, massage is relatively easy to learn and apply. The pilot project was designed to develop and assess a clinical intervention using hand and foot massage for management of pain and anxiety in inpatients on a rehabilitation unit. Methods included formal training of staff nurses in hand and foot massage and subsequently having them teach key family caregivers of the patient how to deliver hand or foot massage in response to reports of pain and anxiety. The report describes study rationale, project development, challenges to implementation in an academic, tertiary care, inpatient rehabilitation facility, and lessons learned for future project design and implementation. The need for a community-based participatory research perspective is addressed.
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2.
Ammerman, A., Corbie-Smith, G., St George, D.M., Washington, C., Weathers, B., & Jackson-Christian, B. (2003). Research expectations among African American church leaders in the PRAISE! project: A randomized trial guided by community-based participatory research. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 1720-1727.
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Bisson, D.A. (2000). Reflexology. In D . W. Novey (Ed.), Clinician's complete reference to complementary and alternative medicine (pp. 779-789). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.[AU: Please note changes in book name, editor name, publisher name, publication date, etc. made after checking on the Internet.]
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5.
Calenda, E., & Weinstien, S. (2001). Therapeutic massage. In M. I. Weintraub (Ed.), Alternative and complementary treatment in neurologic illness (pp. 27-39). New York: Churchill Livingstone.
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Degan, M., Fabris, F., Vanin, F., Bevilacqua, M., Genova, V., Mazzucco, M., et al. (2000). Efficacia della riflessologia plantare nel dolore cronico da ernia discale. [The effectiveness of foot reflexotherapy on chronic pain associated with a herniated disk]. Professioni Infermieristiche, 53, 80-87.
7.
Dunning, T., & James, K. (2001). Complementary therapies in action: Education and outcomes. Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery , 7, 188-195.
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Ernst, E., Pittler, M., & Wider, B. (2006). The desktop guide to complementary and alternative medicine: An evidence-based approach (2nd ed.). Edinburgh, UK: Mosby.
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Ferrell-Torry, A.T., & Glick, O.J. (1993). The use of therapeutic massage as a nursing intervention to modify anxiety and the perception of cancer pain. Cancer Nursing, 16, 93-101.
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Field, T. (1999). Massage therapy. In W. B. Jonas & J. S. Levin (Eds.), Essentials of complementary and alternative medicine (pp. 383-391). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
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Grealish, L., Lomasney, A., & Whiteman, B. (2000). Foot massage. A nursing intervention to modify the distressing symptoms of pain and nausea in patients hospitalized with cancer. Cancer Nursing, 23, 237-243.
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Greene, E. (2000). Massage therapy. In D. W. Novey (Ed.), Clinician's complete reference to complementary and alternative medicine (pp. 338-348). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
13.
Hattan, J., King, L., & Griffiths, P. (2002). The impact of foot massage and guided relaxation following cardiac surgery: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 37, 199-207.
14.
Hobbs, S., & Davies, P.D. (1998). Critical review of how nurses research massage therapy: are they using the best methods?Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery, 4, 35-40.
15.
Hole, L.C. (2001). Koryo hand therapy. In M. I. Weintraub & M. S. Micozzi (Eds.), Alternative and complementary treatment in neurologic illness (pp. 296-310). New York: Churchill Livingstone.
16.
Israel, B.A., Schulz, A.J., Parker, E.A., & Becker, A.B. (1998). Review of community-based research: Assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Annual Review ofPublic Health, 19, 173-202.
17.
Kesselring, A. (1999). Fussreflexzonenmassage: Eine Interventionensstudie [Foot reflexology massage: A clinical study.]. Forschende Komplementärmedizin, 6 (Suppl1), 38-40.
18.
Kim, M.S., Cho, K.S., Woo, H., & Kim, J.H. (2001). Effects of hand massage on anxiety in cataract surgery using local anesthesia. Journal of Cataract and RefractiveSurgery, 27, 884-890.
19.
Leung, M.W., Yen, I.H., & Minkler, M. (2004). Community based participatory research: A promising approach for increasing epidemiology's relevance in the 21st century. International Journal of Epidemiology, 33, 499-506.
20.
Minkler, M. (2004). Ethical challenges for the “outside” researcher in community-based participatory research. Health Education & Behavior, 31, 684-697.
21.
Serpina, V.S. (2001). Integrative health care. Philadelphia : F.A. Davis.
22.
Stephenson, N.L., Weinrich, S.P., & Tavakoli, A.S. (2000). The effects of foot reflexology on anxiety and pain in patients with breast and lung cancer. Oncology Nursing Forum, 27, 67-72.
23.
Taylor, A.G. (1999). Complementary/alternative therapies in the treatment of pain. In J. W. Spencer & J. J. Jacobs (Eds.), Complementary/ alternative medicine: An evidence-based approach (pp. 282-339). St. Louis: Mosby.
24.
Vickers, A. (1996). Massage and aromatherapy: A guide for health professionals . London: Chapman & Hall.
25.
Wahl, C. (1998). Creating a Planetree Medical Center. Derby, CT: The Planetree Institute.
