Nevada RN - August 2018

Page 18 • Nevada RNformation August, September, October 2018
Research & EBP Corner
RNF is Re-initiating a Popular Recurring Feature-
Research and EBP Corner
This feature will present abstracts of research and evidence-based
practice completed or spear-headed by nurses or student nurses
in Nevada. The focus will be on new evidence (i.e., research) or the
translation of evidence (i.e., EBP) in Practice, Education or Research.
Submissions are welcome and will be reviewed by the RNF editorial
board for publication; send your abstract submission in the format
used below to Mary.bondmass@unlv.edu for consideration.
The inaugural submission comes from Deborah McKinney, BSN,
RN and Michelle McGrorey, BSN, ONC, HTCP, CA; both are nurses
at University Medical Center (UMC). These authors received an award
for their poster presented at the First Annual Research Empowerment
Day held at UMC on May 9, 2018.
Tranquility at UMC: The Use of Integrative
Therapies
Background/Introduction:
Integrative therapy is a term that has emerged to describe a new
alliance that combines Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
with conventional medicine. Available data indicate that the use of
integrative therapies (also called holistic modalities) as an adjunct to
prescribed treatments and regimens have been effective in the care of
patients across multiple care settings.
Purpose:
The purpose of this quality improvement project was to translate
the existing evidence related to integrative therapies into practice to
improve patient care at UMC. Specifically, pain, stress, tension, anxiety
and nausea were targeted for reduction.
Methods/Interventions:
A literature search was conducted and from the data extracted,
specific modalities were initiated including healing touch, clinical
aromatherapy, HeartMath, and music. All of the modalities were
provided by either UMC’s nursing or ancillary staff as an adjunct to
previously prescribed treatments, regimens, diagnostics, medications,
and other traditional therapies.
The modalities and their scientific underpinnings are described
below.
Michelle McGrorey, BSN, ONC, HTCP, CA and Deborah McKinney, BSN, RN
Healing Touch is a standardized modality that involves a
practitioner moving her/his hands over the patient’s body, and/or
using light touch on specified areas of the body, in order to evoke
the relaxation response, change the patient’s natural bio-nodes
electromagnetic output, thus placing the patient in a better position
to heal. The practitioner’s electromagnetic output is different than
that of the patient’s. Through the interference and interaction of
the electromagnetic fields, the patient’s bio- electromagnetic field
is changed. As little as 2 Hz has shown to help tissue healing. As
little as 9 Hz helps bone healing. The touch portion of Healing Touch
is thought to evoke the body’s relaxation response through various
chemical and hormonal changes that occur as the patient undergoes
a series of systematic hand placements by the practitioner(s). These
hand placements cause conformational changes in the skin which, in
turn, produce physiologic hormonal responses and neurotransmitter
changes in the brain, thereby evoking the body’s parasympathetic
nervous system response, the body’s relaxation response. Healing
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