Beneficial Effects of Guided Imagery or Clinical Massage on the Status of Patients in a Progressive Care Unit.
BACKGROUND
Patients in the progressive care unit typically experience high levels of pain and anxiety and exhibit difficulty sleeping.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether either clinical massage or guided imagery could reduce pain and anxiety and improve sleep.


METHODS
This study included 288 inpatients on 2 floors of a progressive care unit. On 1 floor, each patient was offered daily a 15-minute complimentary clinical massage, whereas the patients on the other floor were provided access to a 30-minute guided-imagery recording. Patients were asked to rate their pain and anxiety levels immediately before and after the massage intervention or were asked whether the guided-imagery intervention was helpful for pain, anxiety, or insomnia.


RESULTS
The massage intervention showed an immediate and significant reduction in self-reported pain and anxiety (P < .001); likewise, a significant number of patients self-reported that guided imagery helped alleviate pain, anxiety, and insomnia (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that clinical massage and guided imagery can benefit patients in the progressive care unit.
Gail Elliott Patricolo is director of integrative medicine, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan. gail.elliottpatricolo@beaumont.org.|Amanda LaVoie is a registered dietitian with an interest in integrative medicine and improving patients' health care experiences. She is director of service excellence and environmental services, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan. gail.elliottpatricolo@beaumont.org.|Barbara Slavin is an administrative manager in a progressive care unit in the Beaumont Health System-Troy. She has more than 30 years experience in critical care nursing and nursing leadership. gail.elliottpatricolo@beaumont.org.|Nancy L. Richards is a clinical nurse specialist for progressive care, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan. gail.elliottpatricolo@beaumont.org.|Deborah Jagow is a registered nurse and nurse manager of a surgical progressive care unit, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan. gail.elliottpatricolo@beaumont.org.|Karen Armstrong is manager of clinical massage and instructor of Beaumont's oncology and hospital massage, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan. gail.elliottpatricolo@beaumont.org.
Gail Elliott
GE
Patricolo
Gail Elliott Patricolo is director of integrative medicine, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.|Amanda LaVoie is a registered dietitian with an interest in integrative medicine and improving patients' health care experiences. She is director of service excellence and environmental services, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Barbara Slavin is an administrative manager in a progressive care unit in the Beaumont Health System-Troy. She has more than 30 years experience in critical care nursing and nursing leadership.|Nancy L. Richards is a clinical nurse specialist for progressive care, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Deborah Jagow is a registered nurse and nurse manager of a surgical progressive care unit, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Karen Armstrong is manager of clinical massage and instructor of Beaumont's oncology and hospital massage, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Amanda
A
LaVoie
Gail Elliott Patricolo is director of integrative medicine, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.|Amanda LaVoie is a registered dietitian with an interest in integrative medicine and improving patients' health care experiences. She is director of service excellence and environmental services, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Barbara Slavin is an administrative manager in a progressive care unit in the Beaumont Health System-Troy. She has more than 30 years experience in critical care nursing and nursing leadership.|Nancy L. Richards is a clinical nurse specialist for progressive care, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Deborah Jagow is a registered nurse and nurse manager of a surgical progressive care unit, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Karen Armstrong is manager of clinical massage and instructor of Beaumont's oncology and hospital massage, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Barbara
B
Slavin
Gail Elliott Patricolo is director of integrative medicine, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.|Amanda LaVoie is a registered dietitian with an interest in integrative medicine and improving patients' health care experiences. She is director of service excellence and environmental services, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Barbara Slavin is an administrative manager in a progressive care unit in the Beaumont Health System-Troy. She has more than 30 years experience in critical care nursing and nursing leadership.|Nancy L. Richards is a clinical nurse specialist for progressive care, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Deborah Jagow is a registered nurse and nurse manager of a surgical progressive care unit, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Karen Armstrong is manager of clinical massage and instructor of Beaumont's oncology and hospital massage, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Nancy L
NL
Richards
Gail Elliott Patricolo is director of integrative medicine, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.|Amanda LaVoie is a registered dietitian with an interest in integrative medicine and improving patients' health care experiences. She is director of service excellence and environmental services, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Barbara Slavin is an administrative manager in a progressive care unit in the Beaumont Health System-Troy. She has more than 30 years experience in critical care nursing and nursing leadership.|Nancy L. Richards is a clinical nurse specialist for progressive care, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Deborah Jagow is a registered nurse and nurse manager of a surgical progressive care unit, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Karen Armstrong is manager of clinical massage and instructor of Beaumont's oncology and hospital massage, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Deborah
D
Jagow
Gail Elliott Patricolo is director of integrative medicine, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.|Amanda LaVoie is a registered dietitian with an interest in integrative medicine and improving patients' health care experiences. She is director of service excellence and environmental services, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Barbara Slavin is an administrative manager in a progressive care unit in the Beaumont Health System-Troy. She has more than 30 years experience in critical care nursing and nursing leadership.|Nancy L. Richards is a clinical nurse specialist for progressive care, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Deborah Jagow is a registered nurse and nurse manager of a surgical progressive care unit, Beaumont Health System, Troy, Michigan.|Karen Armstrong is manager of clinical massage and instructor of Beaumont's oncology and hospital massage, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Karen
K
Armstrong
D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D008824:Michigan; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome