Holistic nursing practice
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Holistic nursing practice · May 2014
Observational StudyAuricular point acupressure for chronic pain: a feasibility study of a 4-week treatment protocol.
This 1-group, 4-week observational study aimed to (1) assess the feasibility of recruiting, retention, and completion of a 4-week auricular point acupressure (APA) treatment protocol for chronic pain in adult patients and (2) assess the effects of APA in pain reduction (pain severity and pain interference) among these patients. The participants received a 4-week APA treatment protocol in weekly cycles. Each weekly cycle included 5 days with APA seeds taped onto the ear and 2 days without. ⋯ The participants who did not complete the treatment protocol reported an average pain reduction of 29%, which fluctuated to 22% before they dropped out. Auricular point acupressure is feasible for patients with chronic pain. The preliminary findings of this feasibility study show a reduction in pain intensity and improvement in physical function, which demonstrate the potential for APA as a treatment option for patients with chronic pain.
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Holistic nursing practice · Mar 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialA comparison of still point induction to massage therapy in reducing pain and increasing comfort in chronic pain.
A quantitative study was completed to determine whether complementary techniques provide pain relief and comfort in patients with chronic pain. Subjects participated in sessions including aromatherapy and music therapy. Massage or cranial still point induction was randomly assigned. Statistically significant improvement in pain and comfort was noted in both groups.
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Holistic nursing practice · Jan 2014
Critical care nurses' understanding of the concept of patient-centered care in Iran: a qualitative study.
This study explores the perception of nurses working in critical care units about the patient-centered care, which is a crucial factor in attaining quality in nursing care. A qualitative exploratory study with conventional content analysis was used. Three main themes were extracted from the data: from accepting to understanding the patient; improved care as the result of skill and expertise; and adherence to patients' rights charter.
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Holistic nursing practice · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialReflexology: its effects on physiological anxiety signs and sedation needs.
To investigate whether reflexology has an effect on the physiological signs of anxiety and level of sedation in patients receiving mechanically ventilated support, a single blinded, randomized controlled design with repeated measures was used in the intensive care unit of a university hospital in Turkey. Patients (n = 60) aged between 18 and 70 years and were hospitalized in the intensive care unit and receiving mechanically ventilated support. Participants were randomized to a control group or an intervention group. ⋯ A statistically significant difference was found between the averages of the scores that the patients included in the experimental and control groups received from the agitation, anxiety, sleep, and patient-ventilator synchrony subscales of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Sedation Assessment Scale. Reflexology can serve as an effective method of decreasing the physiological signs of anxiety and the required level of sedation in patients receiving mechanically ventilated support. Nurses who have appropriate training and certification may include reflexology in routine care to reduce the physiological signs of anxiety of patients receiving mechanical ventilation.
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Holistic nursing practice · Nov 2013
Understanding nurses' experiences of providing end-of-life care in the US hospital setting.
Hermeneutic phenomenological methods were used to explore nurses' perspectives on the phenomenon of end-of-life care within the hospital setting. Three main themes described participants' experiences: "Confronting Challenges," "Coming to Understand End-of-Life Care," and "Transforming the Understanding of End-of-Life Care into Nursing Practice." Recommendations for education, practice, and research were derived.