The implementation and evaluation of therapeutic touch in burn patients: An instructive experience of conducting a scientific study within a non-academic nursing setting.
Author: Busch M, Visser A, Eybrechts M, van Komen R, Oen I, Olff M, Dokter J, Boxma H.
Affiliation:
Van Praag Instituut, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: mbusch@vanpraaginstituut.nl.
Conference/Journal: Patient Educ Couns.
Date published: 2012 Sep 17
Other:
Pages: S0738-3991(12)00340-0 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2012.08.012. , Word Count: 199
OBJECTIVE:
Evaluation of therapeutic touch (TT) in the nursing of burn patients; post hoc evaluation of the research process in a non-academic nursing setting.
METHODS:
38 burn patients received either TT or nursing presence. On admission, days 2, 5 and 10 of hospitalization, data were collected on anxiety for pain, salivary cortisol, and pain medication. Interviews with nurses were held concerning research in a non-academic setting.
RESULTS:
Anxiety for pain was more reduced on day 10 in the TT-group. The TT-group was prescribed less morphine on day 1 and 2. On day 2 cortisol level before dressing changes was higher in the TT-group. The situational challenges of this study led to inconsistencies in data collection and a high patient attrition rate, weakening its statistical power.
CONCLUSION:
Conducting an effect study within daily nursing practice should not be done with a nursing staff inexperienced in research. Analysis of the remaining data justifies further research on TT for burn patients with pain, anxiety for pain, and cortisol levels as outcomes.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS:
Administering and evaluating TT during daily care requires nurses experienced both in TT and research, thus leading to less attrition and missing data, increasing the power of future studies.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PMID: 22995597
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