Healing Touch at Wauchope Hospital - Mid North Coast … ·  · 2015-06-12tissues (Gary Schwartz, PhD ... No specialised equipment needed! ... Healing Touch at Wauchope Hospital

Healing Touch for Rehab Patients

at Wauchope Hospital

Complementary Therapy in Practice

Susan Ashton RN/CHTP Feb 2015

Integrative Health Care for 21st Century

What is Healing Touch?

The Wauchope Program

The Vision Forward

What is Healing Touch?

Energy based therapeutic approach to

healing

Uses touch to assess and treat the human

energy system

Restores harmony and balance to energy

system

Holistic practice that affects mental,

emotional, spiritual aspects as well as

physical

The Human Energy System

Network of energy

pathways

throughout the

body – meridians

The aura or field of

energy around the

body

The energy centres

or chakras

Ancient Culture to Modern Medicine

Ancient cultures have

used energy therapies

for many centuries

Modern technology can

now photograph these

energy patterns

We can now measure

the low energy

frequencies of body

tissues (Gary Schwartz, PhD)

What happens during a Treatment?

Patient lying on bed or sitting in chair

Hands and a Pendulum are used to assess the flow of energy within and around the body

Light touch with the hands on or off the body to clear congestion and restore the energy flow

Assessment and treatment recorded / Patient feedback obtained

Average session 30-40mins

Localised treatment 30secs to 3 mins

History of Healing Touch

Janet Mentgen, RN,BSc worked with several energy

therapists in 1980’s

Developed certificate program in 1990

Upon completion of 5-level Program one can apply to be

‘Certified HT Practitioner’ (CHTP)

Endorsed by AHNA as post graduate education for

Nurses in USA

November 2008 – endorsed by RCNA for CNE points in

Australia – currently under application with Australian

College of Nursing (ACN)

Courses in Australia are supported by Australian

Foundation for Healing Touch (AFHT)

Benefits of Healing Touch

Elicits the relaxation response;

Relieves stress and anxiety;

Promotes a more restful sleep, and a sense of well being;

Relieves tension headache;

Alters the perception of pain;

Gives comfort to the dying process;

Accelerates wound healing;

Supports the body’s natural healing ability

Around the World

Over 100,000 individuals have been

trained in the program, with practitioners

offering services through all continents.

Where?

In hospitals, clinics, medical centres,

natural therapy centres, schools, churches,

and private homes.

Integrative Medicine

USA:

St Mary’s Hospital, New York

Stanford University Medical Centre, Stanford,

California

Scripps Centre for IM, California

North Hawaii Community Hospital ++++

Australia:

NSW = Wauchope & Port Macquarie

Hospitals

WA = Solaris Centres

Scripps Centre for Integrative Medicine

Dr Warwick Hain, MD with

Dr Charles Tegler, MD – Professor of Neurology at Scripps Medical Centre, California, where Rauni King (RN) and Dr Mimi Guarneri have developed the Scripps Centre for Integrative Medicine …..trained 1329 people with Healing Touch!! (end 2006)

Healing Touch Research and

Evidence Based Practice

Both quantitative and qualitative forms of inquiry are appropriate research methods for Healing Touch. There is an increasingly sound body of research conducted over a 20-year period that supports this nursing intervention.

Healing Touch International has established a department of research that publishes updates of current activity.

As at 2014, there are over 100 completed research studies, and over 90 published articles and papers related to the uses and benefits of Healing Touch.

Research Survey Published Annually

Areas of research include:

Cardio-Vascular,

Pain,

Orthopaedics,

Post-Operative Recovery/Anaesthesia

Elderly, Dementia

Personal transformation in Practitioners & Why RN’s learn Healing Touch

Endocrine/Immune/HIV,

Caregivers

Cancer,

Psychotherapy/Psychology, Mental Health

Healing Touch in

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Randomised Clinical Trial 2002

1st time surgery – 237 subjects

3 groups: no intervention / partial / HT group

No decrease in pain medication, anti –emetic medication, or incidence of atrial fibrillation

Significant differences in anxiety levels and length of stay

All HT patients showed greater decrease in anxiety scores

Healing Touch in Cancer Care

In July 1997, the Cancer Wellness Centre (USA) sent surveys to 92 participants and received 43 responses.

The summaries indicating participants responses to HT treatments:

Improved relaxation: 98%;

Improved sense of well-being: 92%;

Positive change in energy: 87%;

Decreased pain: 85%;

Decreased side effects of cancer treatments: 77%.

Improved sense of control: 75%;

Improved interpersonal relationships: 63%.

Research in Australia

Depression

Dr Rosalie Van Aken

Dr Kristin Wicking

Aged Care

The Wauchope Program Rehab Ward commenced Feb 2007

The Red Tape

Consent Form: info brochure given on admission / consent form signed

Assessment / Treatment Form – record treatment

Record of Treatments given – general record book

Questionnaire – completed by Patient at end of session

Evaluation of Questionnaires – annual record

Policy and Protocols:

Network Clinical Guideline endorsed May 2009 – currently under review 2014

• Questionnaires • Completion of Questionnaire

After Treatment:

• Patient Age / Sex

• Benefit Received graded from:

fair / good / very good / excellent.

Also “Unsure”

• Comfort, Relaxation, Sleep, Mood,

Mobility

• Best thing about treatment?

• Anything to Improve Treatment?

????????

The First Volunteers

To End 2014

Wauchope Ward and Pall Care

407 Patients seen

607 Treatments Given

Wauchope Rehab Unit

548 Patients seen

1033 treatments

PMBH

220 Patients

223 treatments

Volunteer Program WDMH – commenced May 2010

PMBH (Ward 1B)

Commenced October 2011

Patient Responses

Feel Lighter!

More Relaxed!

Peaceful!

Calm!

2010

Patients Seen 62

Treatments Given 105

Questionnaires

returned

14 =

05

101520253035404550

Excellent

Very Good

Good

Fair

Best Thing About the Treatment

Caring Nature 11

Increased Relaxation 1111111 (7)

Feeling of Soothing

2013

Patients Seen 69

Treatments Given 121

Questionnaires returned 22 = 32%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Excellent

Very Good

Good

Fair

Best Thing About the Treatment

Relaxation 11111111111 (11)

Unsure / Loved the lady to come

Helped my backache / The personal Touch

Thinking good thoughts / Quality of Healing

Feeling of comfort / Reduced pain

At a deep level I was told I didn’t need treatment

The open kindness of the healers & explanation of treatment

Staff Treatments – 3-month Trial Clinic

15 minute sessions 2/12/2008 to 31/3/2009

Total Participants = 32 (33% of staff)

Treatments given = 42

Benefits Fair Good Very Good Excellent Unsure

Reduced Stress 3% 16% 30% 46% 5%

Increased Relaxation 3% 8% 19% 70% 0%

Happier Mood 3% 12% 30% 52% 3%

Would you recommend HT to others? Yes=100%

The Vision – Where from here?

“NSW Health must continually adapt in a

dynamic environment to meet the communities

changing health needs” NSW State Health Plan Towards 2010

(NSW Dept of Health 2007)

Expanding the Program

Support nurses to attend training as desired

Regular inservice for staff to have understanding of Healing Touch

Implement localised treatments in ward / community setting

Continue Staff Education– staff can introduce the program, give a brochure and obtain written consent on admission

Can you see Advantages for Patient

Management in Your Area??

Relieving stress and anxiety;

Promoting a more restful sleep, & a sense of well being;

Eliciting the relaxation response;

Altering the perception of pain;

Relieving tension headache;

Giving comfort to the dying process;

Accelerating wound healing;

Accelerating the body’s own healing ability

Considering these advantages ….. more rapid recovery may be anticipated using fewer bed days in hospital, and improved health outcomes.

Conclusion

Bringing Touch back into Nursing Care

No specialised equipment needed!

Offering Holistic Care

No Extra Cost to Patient or MNCLHD

Supporting Patients and Nurses to give Quality Care

CNE Points for Ongoing nursing training

Meeting Patient Demands for Complementary Care

Reduced Anxiety

Reduced Stress and Increased Relaxation for Patients

Works well in combination (Complementary) with Western Medical Model

“Complementary Therapy in Practice”

Acknowledgments

Ms Wilma Sims – ex DON / CEO Wauchope

Ms Yvonne Carmichael – Senior Nurse

Manager, Wauchope

Dr Warwick Hain – GP, Wauchope

References

1. Complimentary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery (McCabe) Ausmed Publications, 2001

2. Complimentary Therapies in Nursing Practice

(Laura Gassib-Spain, Ann Stewart, Shelley Tranter, Joy Young) South East Health,

2001.

3. Healing Touch Research Survey – (Healing Touch International,

Inc) January 2001

4. NSW State Health Plan Towards 2010

(NSW Dept of Health 2007)

5. The Energy Healing Experiments (Gary E. Schwartz, PhD) Atria Books, 2007

………The Next Move??

Potential for research activity in Hastings??

Ideas??

Where to Next??