title: Therapeutic touch for a patient after a Whipple procedure.
abstract: TT is a healing modality considered useful for nurses who wish to develop nonpharmacologic methods to reduce pain and anxiety in their patients. TT should be considered an adjunct to pain medications and should be used in that context. In the stressful environment of ICU, the critical care nurse should pursue any means to provide decreased anxiety and pain and increased comfort. The patient in this article experienced pain relief and comfort with the use of TT. The Whipple procedure was performed on the patient, yet with the use of TT he was able to heal rapidly and was discharged ahead of schedule. No studies have been conducted on the use of TT to shorten hospital stays, yet that would be an interesting outcome to address in future studies.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Graduate Program, Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Mississippi, USA. psmyth@muw.edu
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Smyth
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing; D019124:Therapeutic Touch