IWU The Therapeutic Touch Energy Therapies and Nursing Essay

In light of the fact that the ?touch therapies,? including Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and Reiki, found their way into the mainstream of the American healthcare system through the profession of nursing, it seemed appropriate to dedicate an entire discussion to the three CAT modalities. Most nurses learn something about the touch therapies in school, or have seen other nurses use the therapies in the clinical setting. ?Some may not be aware that most nurses who practice touch therapies are members of the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA). ?Notice the spelling of ?holistic? is different than the ?wholistic? criteria in the Five-Part Evaluation grid used in this course. According to AHNA?s (n.d., para. 1) website, ?holism? is defined as ?the theory that the universe is made of interactive whole organisms that are more than the mere sum of their parts, and that what affects one part also affects the others.? ?As a profession, nursing has held firm to the philosophy that the last part of this statement is true. ?A ?mechanistic,? taken from the word ?machine? view of the person that assumes we are made up of various parts that can be treated in isolation is correct when it comes to cars, or an appliance, but it is not a valid way to view human beings. Nurses are in a unique position to witness on a daily basis that when an organ or a part of a patient is injured, the entire person responds and all of the other systems are at an increased risk for failure or malfunction. Nurses recognize that the body systems are interconnected and depend upon and respond to one another. ?When one is tampered with the others usually misbehave in some way. ?Do you think the same is true of a person?s spirit?

As part of this assignment, you will watch a

YouTube

film by John Stossel that is an unusual, but somewhat humorous, attempt at an investigation of Therapeutic Touch. Notice as you watch that all of TT practitioners refuse to believe the scientific evidence collected by the 9-year-old girl and dismiss it out of hand. ?The film by Stossel is older but coveys an important point. As part of this assignment, you will be asked to seriously investigate to see if you can find any scientific research-based evidence that has been done since then that proves the efficacy of the therapies.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

• Describe the historic, religious, philosophical basis of touch-related therapies in common practice today.
• Evaluate the scientific evidence to discover the efficacy and effectiveness of the various touch therapies.

Resources

• eBook:
  
  The Healing Gods
  
• Textbook:
  
  The Biblical Guide to Alternative Medicine,
  
  Kindle or Paper back
• Web Article: Therapeutic Touch: Healing Science or Psychic Midwife?
• Web Article: Healing Touch: Trouble with Angels
• Web Article: Energy Healing:? Looking in All the Wrong Places
• File: Reiki IWU CAT.pdf

Background Information

There are a number of practices promoted in nursing circles by nationally known nurses who have written textbooks and continuing education programs that are not in alignment with biblical teachings about what Christians should choose to do. ?Empirical research evidence indicates there may be some physical benefits associated with some of the therapies, such as increased relaxation in response to different types of touch therapies or energy-based therapies.? But negative effects, including physical, emotional, and spiritual effects also need to be considered but are seldom investigated. ?It is important for nurses to know not only how these modalities are practiced, but where they originated, and what their philosophical and spiritual roots are.? A number of these therapies may pose an ethical dilemma for nurses who are expected to practice them or to recommend them to others.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Read Chapter 8, ?Energy Medicine: How Her Karma Ran Over His Dogma? and review
   
   The Healing Gods
   
   , Chapter 5, ?Does CAM Work and is it Safe??
3. Read
   
   The Biblical Guide to Alternative Medicine
   
   , select portions of Chapter 19, ?Touch Therapies.?
4. Review at least one of these four resource articles, found through the Christian Research Institute website:
   1. 
      Therapeutic Touch
      
   2. 
      Healing Touch: Trouble with Angels
      
   3. 
      Energy Healing: ?Looking in all the Wrong Places
      
   4. 
      Reiki: With Minds Wide Open
      
5. Choose one of the three energy therapies listed to investigate:
   1. Therapeutic Touch
   2. Touch Therapy, Healing Touch
   3. Reiki
6. Prepare to discuss the following prompts:
   1. Describe the history, worldview, and use of the modality in today?s healthcare environment. Compare the perspective in
      
      The Healing Gods
      
      or
      
      The Biblical Guide to Alternative Medicine
      
      on the energy therapies and one of the articles on therapeutic touch, healing touch, or Reiki, from the
      
      Christian Research Journal
      
      with the perspective of many nurses at the bedside today.? Describe the differences in the perspectives and explain what you think is behind them.
   2. Based on the readings, what, in your opinion, should the Christian nurse?s response be regarding these therapies?
   3. Based on the American Nurses Association (2015) Code of Ethics what is the nurse?s ethical responsibility to the patient before using any CAT therapy as a treatment?
   4. Consider whether you think prayer/anointing/healing services are an alternative or a complementary therapy.? If prayer is an alternative or complementary therapy, does the nurse have an ethical responsibility to ask the patient?s permission before praying out loud in the healthcare setting?? What about silently? ?Explain the rational for your thinking.