TY - JOUR
T1 - The implementation and evaluation of therapeutic touch in burn patients: An instructive experience of conducting a scientific study within a non-academic nursing setting
AU - Busch, Martine
AU - Visser, Adriaan
AU - Eybrechts, Maggie
AU - van Komen, Rob
AU - Oen, Irma
AU - Olff, Miranda
AU - Dokter, Jan
AU - Boxma, Han
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - 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. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
AB - 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. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2012.08.012
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2012.08.012
M3 - Article
C2 - 22995597
SN - 0738-3991
VL - 89
SP - 439
EP - 446
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
IS - 3
ER -