Here it is, a beautiful Sunday in the midwest, and I'm sitting inside reading a nursing textbook. I must be daft! The textbook is about cultural diversity in nursing and the use of non-traditional therapies such as herbs, massage, aromatherapy, light therapy, reflexology, yoga, homeopathy, healing humor, meditation, acupuncture and acupressure, biofeedback, companion therapy, etc.
Recently, NANDA (North American Nursing Diagnosis Association) added "Energy Field Disturbance" to the list of acceptable nursing diagnoses. Energy Field Disturbance's definition (according to Carpenito) is, "The state in which a disruption of the flow of energy surrounding a person's being results in a disharmony of the body, mind, and/or spirit." This diagnosis is often used in Touch Therapy.
I don't want a debate on whether or not this is a valid diagnosis or therapies, but rather a discussion about using non-traditional methods of healing. As major organizations such as NANDA begin to recognize non-traditional nursing, I began to think about these kind of therapies. My very traditional doctor's office is located right next door to a RN doing massage therapy. So, my question is: Do you use any of these in your practice or at home? Why? What kind of results do you see? What kind of non-traditional therapies do you use?
