Nurses' Lived Experience of Reiki for Self-care

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of nurses who practice Reiki for self-care. In-person interviews were conducted with 11 nurses who met specific study criteria, using open-ended questions to examine the experience of nurses who are Reiki practitioners, to understand their perceptions of Reiki use in self-treatment, and to appreciate its meaning for them. The Colaizzi method was utilized in data analysis and independent decision trail audits were completed to promote study rigor and trustworthiness of results. Thematic categories and major and minor thematic clusters emerged around the topics of daily stress management, self-healing, spirituality, and interconnectedness of self, others, and beyond. Implications of the study findings for nursing practice and nursing education are discussed. Potential applications of study findings to Jean Watson's transpersonal caring theory located within a caring science framework are explored and recommendations for future research are offered.