The implementation and evaluation of therapeutic touch in burn patients: An instructive experience of conducting a scientific study within a non-academic nursing setting

Abstract 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 collec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Patient education and counseling 2012-12, Vol.89 (3), p.439-446
Main Authors: Busch, Martine, Visser, Adriaan, Eybrechts, Maggie, van Komen, Rob, Oen, Irma, Olff, Miranda, Dokter, Jan, Boxma, Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Anxiety
Anxiety - etiology
Anxiety - nursing
Anxiety - therapy
Burns
Burns - complications
Burns - nursing
Burns - therapy
Child
Cortisol
Female
Humans
Hydrocortisone - metabolism
Implementation
Internal Medicine
Interviews as Topic
Itching
Male
Middle Aged
Netherlands
Nursing
Nursing Evaluation Research
Nursing Methodology Research
Nursing presence
Pain
Pain - nursing
Pain Measurement
Pain medication
Procedural pain
Program Evaluation
Surveys and Questionnaires
Therapeutic touch
Therapeutic Touch - methods
Therapeutic Touch - nursing
Treatment Outcome
Young Adult
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Summary:Abstract 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.
ISSN:0738-3991
1873-5134
DOI:10.1016/j.pec.2012.08.012