title: A pilot feasibility study of the effects of touch therapy on nurses.
abstract: The White House Commission on Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) has recommended that safe and effective CAM practices be evaluated to determine their role in maintaining wellness and promoting health. There is little research on individual bodywork/energy therapies and their effects on wellness. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effect of AMMA treatments on relaxation and anxiety in staff nurses, and to examine themes describing the nurses' experiences. It was hypothesized that nurses receiving AMMA treatments would demonstrate reduced anxiety, as measured by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and increased relaxation, measured by physiologic parameters. The study was designed as a prospective, randomized, blinded clinical trial, with convenience sampling of 24 nurses working 12-hour shifts. While both groups demonstrated decreased anxiety after intervention, the experimental group consistently showed greater differences between pre- and post-treatment anxiety scores. The mean change in physiologic parameters between groups was not significant. Themes derived from a final interview included: importance of touch in nursing care, stress reduction, increased self-awareness, the need for self-care and a new understanding of the mind-body connection. Outcomes suggest the need for further research with a larger population to assess this intervention's impact on anxiety, stress, self-care and caring relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery, North Shore University Hospital-Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McElligott
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Holz
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carollo
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Somerville
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baggett
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuzniewski
authors.forename: Qiuhu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D019124:Therapeutic Touch / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D016526:Workload