Rogers Model of Non Invasive Patterning Modalities Christine

Roger’s Model of Non. Invasive Patterning Modalities Christine Maxim Kristen Lintjer Sara Potes Ferris State University

Therapeutic Touch

Rogers maintains that research in nursing must examine unitary human beings as integral with their environment. There, the intent of nursing research is to examine and understand a phenomenon. (Alligood -Tomey, pg 250. )

Therapeutic touch has shown promise in helping patients with cancer find relief from pain, anxiety, and fear (American Cancer Society, 2006).

Research Question Does therapeutic touch decrease pain and anxiety in cancer patients?

A randomized, controlled study by Given et. al. (2002) evaluated symptom management during chemotherapy and found that patients with cancer experience pain and anxiety during chemotherapy.

Study Purpose To examine existing research on the effectiveness of therapeutic touch and to determine whether it decreases pain and anxiety in patients with cancer.

According to Roger’s theory, energy fields are symmetrical and balanced when a person is healthy. Physical and psychological symptoms, such as pain and anxiety, cause imbalances in the fields. Therapeutic touch is used to restore those imbalances.

Results Patients receiving therapeutic touch showed increased vigor and a reduction in mood disturbance, tension, confusion and anxiety compared to the group that received no therapeutic touch intervention.

Healing touch also reduced respiratory rate, heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Levels of pain lowered with healing touch.

The studies reviewed provide evidence that pain and anxiety in patients with cancer were reduced through therapeutic touch. Presumed restoration of the energy field balanced out the cancer disruption.

Therapeutic touch allows caregivers to manipulate a patient’s energy fields on the skin surface and restore the balance of energy to promote wellness.

Limitations Relatively few randomized clinical trials, studies in the nursing discipline, and published meta-analyses of randomized clinical trial nursing studies have been conducted. (Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, Vol. 12, pg 119. )

Nursing research, along with non-nursing research, in nontraditional treatments is even more scarce, which limited the evidence on therapeutic touch.

Implications for Practice Several studies link nursing care to positive cancer therapy outcomes and suggest a need to explore nontraditional therapy modalities, such as therapeutic touch, as viable options to complement standard cancer therapy.

References Jackson, Emily, Patrick Mc. Neil, and Lauren Schlegel. "Does Therapeutic Touch Help Reduce Pain and Anxiety in Patients with Cancer? " Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing Feb. 2008: 113 -19. Print. Krieger, Dolores. Therapeutic Touch: How to Use Your Hands to Help or to Heal. Englewood Cliffs, N. J. : Prentice-Hall, 1979. Print. Marriner-Tomey, Ann, and Martha Raile. Alligood. Nursing Theorists and Their Work. St. Louis, Mo. : Mosby/Elsevier, 2006. Print.

American Cancer Society. (2006). Cancer facts and figures 2006. Atlanta, GA: Author