Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
primarily Healing Touch/Energy Healing (70%), Reflexology (10%),
Brain Balancing (10%) and Integrative Therapies (10%, consisting
of Reiki, Hypnotherapy, Therapeutic Touch, Aromatherapy, and
Acutonics). All participants who utilized Healing Touch/Energy
Therapy were certified in this modality. Only one participant was
not certified in the modality discussed (Brain Balancing). Many of
the participants held certification in other modalities and
incorporated the use of various modalities in their practice and life
(50%). Additionally, several participants were also certified as
holistic nurses (30%).
The researcher conducted a pilot study with 3 participants
utilizing the same instruments (critical incident, semi-structured
open-ended interview and demographic inventory). This was
conducted as a means of refining and revising these instruments.
The pilot study established appropriate data collecting methods,
thus no changes were made in the instruments. Since the tools
were not revised and the data gleaned was descriptive and deemed
pertinent, it was included as part of the study’s overall
interpretations and findings. Pilot study participants demographics
were reflective of study participants as well.
Modalities are different technique that can be included in the
healing-caring process to assist the nurse and client in achieving
maximum health potential. Energy work is a general term for
modalities that are based on the idea that the human body consists
of energy fields that can be stimulated through various techniques
in order to promote wellness. There is an energy flow in the body
and keeping the body’s energy in a balanced state is necessary to
maintaining health.
Key Findings
The key findings from analysis of data from the semi-structured
interviews with the CIT data used as triangulation data gleaned the
following results. All participants described personal and
professional growth and development through the inclusion of a
modality into the healing-caring process and positive benefits for
self and clients with inclusion of a modality into the healing-caring
process.
Critical Incident Technique
CRITICAL INCIDENT DESCRIBING THE HOLISTIC NURSES’
PERSPECTIVE ON THE INCLUSION OF MODALITIES INTO HIS/HER
PRACTICE
Please think of an important event in your practice where you
utilized a modality. Please reflect on how this experience affected
you in your practice as a holistic nurse.
Please briefly describe this incident.
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