Therapeutic Touch in Patients with Cancer in an Ambulatory Palliative Oncology Clinic
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Background: Pharmacology therapies alone are not the best choice for symptom management of patients with advanced cancer. Therapeutic Touch (TT) is research supported non-pharmacologic integrative therapy that helps a variety of symptoms such as pain and anxiety. Despite the research TT is not routinely provided for patients who may benefit. Purpose: The evidence-based practice project focused on awareness and implementation of TT for palliative care oncology patients. This project aimed to determine the change in likelihood a nurse or provider would recommend TT, evaluate perceptions of TT, evaluate confidence in understanding TT, and evaluate the number of patients who agreed to have a TT treatment. Methods: The project took place at a large midwestern academic cancer center in an ambulatory palliative clinic. Implementation included a pre-intervention survey, a TT educational offering, provision of TT treatments for referred patients one full day and one-half day a week for eight weeks, and administration of a post-intervention survey. Results: Nurses and providers (n=10) indicated an increased likelihood to recommend TT to a patient, an improved perception of TT helping patients’ pain and anxiety and an improved confidence in understanding TT from baseline to post-intervention. Fifty-two patients agreed to have a TT treatment out of 91 patients offered TT.