Holistic Nursing Research Articles

The physiological and psychological effects of slow‐stroke back massage and hand massage on relaxation in older people

In recent years, the nursing profession used technology and pharmacology to relieve conditions such as pain, anxiety and insomnia that were once treated with massage. However, interest in massage has grown with the move to more holistic nursing. This review examines the physiological and psychological effects of slow-stroke back massage and hand massage on relaxation in older people and identifies effective protocols for massage in older people. Review. Cooper's five-stage model was used in the review process. The search strategy included all studies without limiters for dates through June 2009 in the following databases: Ovid Medline, Cochrane databases, PubMed, EBSCO, CINAHL, Health Resource, PychINFO and EMB Reviews 1991-June 2009. The quality of the research was evaluated using the Research Appraisal Checklist. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria for massage, relevance to older people and rigorous research. All studies using slow-stroke back massage and hand massage showed statistically significant improvements on physiological or psychological indicators of relaxation. The most common protocols were three-minute slow-stroke back massage and 10-minute hand massage. Physiological and psychological indicators suggest the effectiveness of slow-stroke back massage and hand massage in promoting relaxation in older people across all settings. Studies are needed to analyse the feasibility and cost effectiveness of massage to develop best practices for massage interventions in older people.

The effective evaluation of holistic nursing intervention to improve the physical and mental health of perimenopause women in community

Objective To explore the effect of holistic nursing intervention to improve the physical and mental health of perimennpause women in community. Methods Two hundred and sixteen perimenopause women were randomly divided into intervention and control groups, 108 cases in each group. At the begin and the end of inquiry, the symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90) and the MOS item short from health survey (SF-36) were used to evaluate respectively the psychological state and life quality, meanwhile the situation, knowledge on perimenopause and self-care were measured by self - designed health knowledge questionnaire. Results All factors in SCL - 90 were lower significantly after implementing holistic nursing ( P＜ 0. 001 ), eight queries of life quality in SF - 36 in intervention group were higher significantly than those in control group after 12 months of intervention ( P ＜ 0.01 ) . The difference between perimenopause and self - care knowledge at the begin and the end of inquiry in two groups was not significantly ( P ＞ 0.05 ) . Conclusions Holistic nursing intervention can improve the physical and mental health of perimenopause women in community, and it is an important measure to make their life quality better. Key words: Holistic nursing; Perlmenopause; Community

Review of the development of the concept of Holistic nursing

In 1926, Smuts put forward the concept of "holistic". Then, this concept was introduced into the field of nursing. The presentation of system theory, levels and models of people's needs, theory of solving-problem provided the theoretical base for "holistic nursing". Beginning from the definition of health provided by WHO in 1948, many scholars put forward a set of nursing concepts, such as nursing process, theory of goal attainment, holistic human body, etc. In these concepts, the concept of holistic nursing was improved gradually, and finally formed the thought and method which were focused on patients, guided by concept of modern nursing, based on the nursing process, and it applied the systematic nursing process into the clinical nursing and its administration. At present, holistic nursing has been applied widely in the world. Reviewing its history will benefit the understanding of its connotation, and its application in the clinic for further improvement.

Effect of holistic nursing intervention on negative emotion and quality of life of patients with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage

Objective To investigate the effect of hotistic nursing intervention on negative emotion and quality of life of patients with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. Methods One hundred and twelve hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage inpatients with negative emotion disorder from 2006 June to 2008 December were randomly divided into the routine nursing group and the holistie nursing intervention group with 56 patients in each group. The routine nursing group were given the normal nursing care of hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage,the holistic nursing group received psychological nursing, health education and rehabilitative intervention on the basis of normal nursing care for 4 weeks. All patients were evaluated with self rating depression scale (SDS), self rating anxiety scale (SAS) and GQOIL before and after investigation. Results There was no difference in GQOIL, SDS and SAS between the two groups before nursing intervention. After the holistie nursing intervention, the scores of SDS and SAS of the holistic nursing intervention group were significantly lower than that of the routine nursing group, the score of GQOIL was better than that of the routine nursing group. Conclusions The holistie nursing intervention obtains a better effect on managing the hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage patients with negative emotion disorder, it is effective in alleviating negative emotion and raising their quality of life. Key words: Holistic nursing; Hypertension; Cerebral hemorrhage; Negative emotion; Quality of life

Application of holistic nursing in prevention of various complications after interventional therapy of hepatic carcinoma

原发性肝癌是来源于肝细胞或肝内胆管上皮细胞的恶性肿瘤,死亡率很高,占我国恶性肿瘤死亡率的第二位.肝癌早期常无明显的症状,一旦出现症状多已进入晚期,错失了治疗机会.近年来,对于不适应外科手术治疗的肝癌患者,介入治疗成为一个不错的选择,其中,经导管肝动脉灌注抗癌药和血管栓塞治疗是介入放射学治疗应用最广的两种方法.如同所有治疗一样,在肝癌介入治疗过程中也会出现一些不良反应和并发症,直接影响了患者接受治疗的信心和术后恢复的情况.因此,探讨防止在肝癌介入治疗中出现各种并发症的护理干预措施具有重要意义.本研究观察整体护理在预防肝癌介入诊疗术中各种并发症发生的作用,为肝癌的临床诊疗提供更多的参考,现报道如下。

Reflection of a 7-Year Patient Care Program

Integrative alternative therapies, also known as holistic therapies, have many applications in hospitals and health centers. These may include relaxation therapies, meditation, massage, reflexology, and Reiki or healing touch. Patients today are looking for these services, and institutions continue to explore ways to provide them without affecting their bottom line. The Integrative Cardiac Wellness Program is such a service, and its growth and longevity comes out of the personal investment of the staff to the program and to their patients. The literature review on the permanence of caring practice shows that caring about your work with patients, not just the job, is critical in longevity (Graber & Mitcham, 2004). The holistic nurses' and staff 's commitment to their professional growth within their specialty and their personal spiritual practice as experts in the field forms the backbone of the Integrative Wellness Program's success. It has been in existence for 7 years, providing integrative healing therapies to more than 7,000 patients, making it one of the most experienced. The program now serves cardiac surgery patients, and patients who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Utilization of the Natural Helper Model in Health Promotion Targeting African American Men

When compared with other racial and ethnic groups, African American men experience a great number of health disparities. The factors that perpetuate health disparities among African American men are multidimensional and include lack of access to equitable health care, lack of knowledge and limited education about health promoting behaviors, lack of organizational trust and acceptability, the impact of masculinity on health, and psychological factors. This article explores the health promotion needs of African American men and the ability of the natural helper model to address those needs. Further discussion of its use by holistic nurses as a culturally tailored health promotion intervention targeting African American men is presented.

Nursing work in NHS Direct: constructing a nursing identity in the call‐centre environment

The introduction of nurse-led telephone helplines for patients to have access to information and advice has led to the development of a new kind of practise for nurses. This study focuses on the ways NHS Direct (NHSD) nurses construct a nursing identity and shape their work in a call-centre environment. The empirical findings are drawn from a study investigating the impact of NHSD on professional nursing issues that was part of a wider evaluation of the service in South Wales, UK. Data were gathered from responses to free text questions included in a questionnaire sent to nurses in three NHSD sites. Further data were collected from focus groups held with NHSD nurses. The nurses defend their identity as nurses rather than call-centre workers. The discourses of the nurses show a strong alignment with the traditional values of nursing, encompassing holistic and empathetic practise that has moved with the nurses across locales. We argue that the nurses frame a nursing identity in NHSD around the importance of previous experience and claim to practise holistic nursing. However, the development of new skills and adaptation of old skills in response to the demand of NHSD work challenges normative notions of traditional 'hands-on' models of practise and indicates a possible movement towards a cognitive model of nursing based upon knowledge, analytical and communication skills that reflects the transformative and dynamic nature of professional identity and boundaries.

People, Place, and Process: The Role of Place in Creating Optimal Healing Environments

Healing and place are inseparable. (Wilbert Gesler, 2003, p. 1) Florence Nightingale stands out as the first nursing leader to understand the impact of place on the healing process. In her writings she laid the groundwork for a holistic approach to patient care. "Volumes are now written and spoken upon the effect of the mind upon the body. Much of it is true. But I wish a little more was thought of the effect of the body on the mind" (Nightingale, 1860). She also is credited with being one of the first to record this impact in her statistical representation of public health issues. She understood that the element of place (nature, site location, and building design) needs to be integrated with elements of people (spirituality) and with processes (care delivery) to create an Optimal Healing Environment (OHE). Nightingale practiced nursing more than 150 years ago, but her insight into the creation of OHE leaves a legacy for us all. She proposed no formulaic response to the role of place in optimal healing but documented her experiences and observations with her patients as well as the larger community. Our challenge is to discover frameworks to help us identify elements that create optimal healing environments within our own communities. The American Holistic Nurses' Association's Standards of Holistic Nursing Practice (1998) include therapeutic environments as part of their core values. The standards state that "each person's environment includes everything that surrounds the individual, both the external and internal (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual), as well as patterns not yet understood." This article will introduce systems thinking as a framework for identifying and studying the elements of OHE. Application of this framework also allows subtle patterns, including the interactions between elements, to be made explicit. With billions of dollars of spending anticipated in healthcare construction both nationally and internationally before 2020, it is imperative that means to improve the healthcare environment be explored to ensure optimal work, healing, business and cultural outcomes. (Stickler, 2007, p. 11) DEFINITIONS OF TERMS Optimal Healing Environments The word "healing" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word haelen , which means "to make whole." Healing environments are designed to promote harmony or balance of mind, body, and spirit; to reduce anxiety and stress; and to be restorative (Kreitzer & Zborowsky, 2009). The OHE are created when people, place, and care processes converge at a particular time and within a particular culture. Some of these elements are universal while others may be unique to each community. Systems Thinking Systems theory was developed in the 1940s by biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy as a reaction against reductionism and the attempt to revive the unity of science (Heylighen & Joslyn, 1992). Von Bertalanffy emphasized that real systems are open to and interact with their environments, and that they can acquire qualitatively new properties through emergence resulting in continual evolution. Rather than reducing an entity to the properties of its parts or elements, systems theory focuses on the arrangement of and relations between the parts that connect them into a whole. Systems theory is applied to many disciplines such as physics, biology and sociology to provide a holistic framework to areas of study (Heylighen & Joslyn, 1992). OHE and Systems Thinking Applying systems thinking to the creation of OHE allows a holistic perspective into their creation. Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between the major elements of OHE. Systems thinking allows a broader, more integrated view of this concept. Rather than focusing on the individual parts, systems thinking allows a perspective of how the parts relate to each other. The elements can be better understood when examined in relation to each other and to the synergy that exists between them. …

Ecospirituality

Ecospirituality provides a framework for exploring the spiritual dimension of person and environment and the dynamic interplay between this sacred dyad and human health. The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the experience of environmental meditation by using a new, spirituality-based meditation intervention that focused on ecospirituality with patients with cardiovascular disease. A convenience sample of 6 women and 2 men with ages ranging from 42 to 64 years and a mean age of 57 years (SD = 8.33 years) participated in the study. From the 8 journals and the researchers' field notebooks, 85 significant phrases or sentences were extracted, transposed into formulated meanings, and later collapsed into 4 theme clusters: Entering a New Time Zone, Environmental Reawakening, Finding a New Rhythm, and Becoming a Healing Environment. The findings of this study provide beginning support for holistic nurses and other healthcare professionals to integrate the use of ecospirituality meditation into their care of patients with cardiovascular disease and the groundwork for further exploration of the spiritual dimension of person and environment.

Research on holistic nursing of diabetic nephropathy

Objective To find an effective way for holistic nursing of diabetic nephropathy.Methods 16 diabetic nephropathy patients were observed,including psychological nursing,diet nursing,health education,guidance for rational drug and prevention and treatment of complications of nursing measures,etc.Results Patients had a good knowledge of dietary therapy,learned to use the related medicine in reason and how to judge and respond to hypoglycemia,developed favorable eating habits,had no secondary infection during the hospital stay,reduced the burden on families and society,it had a best effect of prevention and treatment of disease.Conclusions Holistie nursing of diabetic nephropathy helps to alleviate the suffering of patients,extends the expectant llfe of patients and improves the quality of life of patients. Key words: Diabetic nephropathy; Holistic nursing

Application research of clinical nursing path in patients of artificial hip replacement

Objective To research the effect of application of clinical nursing path in patients of artificial hip replacement.Methods A quasi-experimental study was adopted,holistic nursing was used in all cases.The control group was treated with treatment-nursing-mode,while the experimental group was treated with clinical nursing path.Then the curative and nursing efficacy of the two groups were compared.Results Compared with control group,the hospitalization days and the expense of the experimental group were decreased remarkably,the astisfactinn degree of patients and the postoperative Harris scores were higher significantly(P＜0.05).Conclusions While guaranteeing the quality of medical and nursing,application of clinical nursing path in patients of artificial hip replacement could shorten the hoepitallzation time and decrease the hoepitalizaton cost,has notable economic and social benefit,so it has good popularization value and wide application prospect. Key words: Clinical nursing path; Artificial hip replacement; Perioperative nursing

The Power of Metaphors

Metaphors are individualized representations of self as well as a vivid, expressive, everyday dialogical format. Holistic nursing is a personal philosophy that includes participating in the healing-caring process of self and others. Exploring metaphors of nurses offers a unique opportunity of understanding how they describe, prioritize, and internalize their practice. The aim of this article is to present metaphors of holistic nurses.

Health promotion in nurses: Is there a healthy nurse in the house?

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the health-promoting lifestyle behaviors of acute-care nurses using the Health Promotion Model. Statistical analysis of 149 returned Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II surveys indicates areas of weakness in stress management and physical activity. No significant difference is found between unit, demographic factors, and subscale scores at the p < .01 level, but medical–surgical nurses consistently scored better than the critical-care nurses in health promotion. Findings support the need for the development of holistic nursing interventions to promote self-care in the identified areas. Strategies include educational/experiential classes in holistic nursing; individualized unit-based activities fostering stress management, such as massage, reflexology, and imagery; and development of an employee wellness program.

Staff Nurse Perceptions of a Healing Environment

This study uses a sample of staff nurses to identify perceptions of the characteristics of a healing environment that supported their practice of holistic nursing. A multiple method qualitative interview process provided an opportunity for candid discussion and deliberation. The essences of a healing environment are context, connections, and calling.

Holistic Nurses’ Examinations

Social and professional paradigm shifts of the 1990s moved holistic nursing into the mainstream of health care, resulting in the need for national certification of Holistic Nurses. Given the assumptions that certification examinations are based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities prerequisite for competent practice in a given specialty, and that the certification credential tells the public and peers that the certificant has such knowledge, The American Holistic Nurses Association's Leadership Council (AHNA-LC) initiated certification processes in 1994. On the request of AHNA-LC, the American Holistic Nurses' Certification Corporation (AHNCC) assumed these responsibilities in April, 1997. Since then, AHNCC has overseen the revision of the first certification process for holistic nursing prepared at the baccalaureate level and development of a second one designed for holistic nurses prepared in graduate nursing programs. This article describe these developmental processes.

Influence of multi-level training on study demand and autonomous learning among nursers

Objective To explore the influence of multi- level training on study demand and autonomous learning among nursers, so as to improve nursing normalized training procedure and speed up cultivation of nurses. Methods 146 nurses were sampled and were trained according to normalized training procedure among multi-level nursers, all were trained 1 year, study demand and autonomous learning abilities were investigated before and after training. Results The study demand among different level nurses was significant difference before and after training in terms of holistic nursing, nursing safety education, continuing education, health education, humanities in nursing, and nursing law. Conclusions The factors of study demand and autonomous learning are key to formulate effective normalized training procedure. By carrying out multi-level training can we satisfy the study demand for different level nurses, improve their autonomous learning abilities and speed up the efficiency of acquiring knowledge for nurses. Key words: Nursing; Training; Demand assessment ; Autonomous learning; Influence

Influence of holistic nursing on psychological conditions and complications of elderly patients after thoracic surgery

Objective To investigate influence of holistic nursing on psychological conditions and complications of elderly patients after thoracic surgery. Methods 98 old patients (over 70 years old) un-dergoing thoracic surgery were divided in to the intervention group and the control group with 49 cases in each group. Routine nursing and holisfic nursing were given to the two groups. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self- rating depression scale(SDS) were adopted to evaluated psychological status of all patients and complications were also measured. Results SAS and SDS score of the intervention group greatly de-creased 14 days after operation,comphcations such as incision infection, pulmonary infection, mild hypother mia and times of cough were also lower than that of the control group. Conclusions Holistic nursing care has pivotal significance on reducing psychological barrier, post-operative complications and ira-provement of quality of life in elderly patients after thoracic surgery. Key words: Holistic nursing; Elderly patients; Psychological conditions; Complications

Evaluation of the effect of applying comfort care therapy into nursing perioperative patients with colonrectal cancer

Objective To evaluate the effects of applying comfort care theory into nursing perioperative patients with colonrectal cancer.Methods 339 patients diagnosed with colonrectal cancer were randomized into experimental group and control group.The traditional nursing model was used in control group including 161 patients.and the comfort care model was applied in experimental group with 178 patients.Resuls There was a significant difference in patients'subjective satisfaction with comfort between the two groups(P＜0.05).Concluslons The application of comfort care theory in nursing perioperative patients with colonrectal cancer can improve patients'satisfaction with comfort,representing the connotations of people-oriented and patient-centered holistic nursing. Key words: Comfort care; Colonrectal cancer; Perioperative; Evaluation effects

Investigation and analysis of anxiety status among burn suffers and its influencing factors

Objective To learn anxiety status among burn suffers and its influencing factors, so as to carry out better holistic nursing. Methods 80 burn suffers were investigated with SAS. Results The results showed that there were only 4 patients without anxiety, 52.5 % patients were with medium or severe anxiety, the level of anxiety was higher among patients who were characterized with female, unmarriaged, expenses by patients themeselves, higher education and larger extent of burn. Conclusions The incidence of anxiety is highere among burn suffers. Nurses should pay much more attention on their psychological care and promote their recovery earlier. Key words: Burn; Anxiety; Questionnaire; Nurse