to me, it's the ultimate measure of desperation on the part of nurses to develop independence from physicians. that it has been turned into a "science" demeans the nursing profession terribly!
while there can be certainly a psychological/placebo effect, the seriousness with which even some phd's in nursing believe in literal truth of therapeutic touch simply amazes me.
it's witchcraft. sheer absolute nonsense in its highest refined form. the techniques are quite laughable, and have no place in medicine, any more than folk remedies supplied by witch doctors.
yet at virtually every major university, there are ladies with phd's running around who literally believe they've developed these powers in their hands. that they can "ruffle" and "realign" forces.
to many, this is the holy grail of nursing. to me, it's delusionary.
Hmm, here's a scientific article. I suppose there will be something wrong with it:
"Positive touch, the implications for parents and their children with autism: an exploratory study.
Cullen LA, Barlow JH, Cushway D.
School of Health and Social Science, Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Health, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK. [email protected]
The aims of this study were (1) to explore the experience of touch between parents and children with autism before, during, and after a Training and Support Programme (TSP), and (2) to develop a model of the process of touch therapy for this group of parents and children. Fourteen parents and their children agreed to take part in the study. Five of these parents withdrew. Reasons for withdrawal included personal circumstances and ill health. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews with parents before attending the TSP and Home Record Sheets completed by parents during the TSP. Results indicate that before the TSP touch was experienced as out of parents' control. During the TSP, the experience of touch appeared to change. A key benefit gained by parents was the feeling of closeness to children. The key benefits gained by children were perceived by the parents as improved sleep patterns, children were more relaxed after receiving the massage and appeared more amenable to touch. Of interest was children's request for massage at home. At 16-week follow-up both parents and children continue to enjoy giving and receiving touch therapy, respectively."
Hmm, here's a scientific article. I suppose there will be something wrong with it:
"Positive touch, the implications for parents and their children with autism: an exploratory study.
Cullen LA, Barlow JH, Cushway D.
School of Health and Social Science, Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Health, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK. [email protected]
The aims of this study were (1) to explore the experience of touch between parents and children with autism before, during, and after a Training and Support Programme (TSP), and (2) to develop a model of the process of touch therapy for this group of parents and children. Fourteen parents and their children agreed to take part in the study. Five of these parents withdrew. Reasons for withdrawal included personal circumstances and ill health. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews with parents before attending the TSP and Home Record Sheets completed by parents during the TSP. Results indicate that before the TSP touch was experienced as out of parents' control. During the TSP, the experience of touch appeared to change. A key benefit gained by parents was the feeling of closeness to children. The key benefits gained by children were perceived by the parents as improved sleep patterns, children were more relaxed after receiving the massage and appeared more amenable to touch. Of interest was children's request for massage at home. At 16-week follow-up both parents and children continue to enjoy giving and receiving touch therapy, respectively."
Can't say there's anything wrong this, myself.
I'm not trying to be difficult :) and, if I'm misunderstanding your purpose in posting the abstract, I apologize -- but, in the context of this discussion, there IS something wrong with it. Positive Touch is a program involving parents of autistic children being trained by massage therapists to give their kids actual physical massage, so, regardless of the outcome of the study, it doesn't have any bearing on the validity or non-validity of TT which is an entirely different modality. Positive Touch is about helping autistic kids learn to accommodate to and tolerate the sensation of physical touch and improve their self-regulatory and interpersonal skills, and has nothing to do with manipulating the "energy fields" that TT addresses.
alligood, m.r. (1986). the relationship of creativity, actualization, and empathy in unitary human development. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 145_160). norwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
alligood, m. r. (1991). testing rogers' theory of accelerating change. the relationships among creativity, actualization, and empathy in persons 18 to 92 years of age. western journal of nursing r esearch, 13, 84-96.
artinian, n. t. (1992). spouse adaptation to mate's cabg surgery: 1-year follow-up. american journal of critical care, 1, 36-42.
banonis, b. c. (1989). the lived experience of recovering from addiction: a phenomenological study. nursing science quarterly, 2, 37-43.
barrett, e.a.m. (1986). investigation of the principle of helicy: the relationship of human field motion and power. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human bei ngs (pp. 173_188). norwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
barrett, e.a.m. (1990). rogerian patterns of scientific inquiry. in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science-based nursing (pp. 169-188). new york: national league for nursing.
benedict, s. c., & burge, j. m. (1990). the relationship between human field motion and preferred visible wavelengths. nursing science quarterly, 3, 73-80.
boyd, c. (1990). testing a model of mother-daughter identification. western journal of nursing research, 12, 448-468.
bramlett, m.h., & gueldner, s.h. (1993). reminiscence: a viable option to enhance power in elders. clinical nurse specialist, 7, 68-74.
brouse, s.h. (1985). effect of gender role identity on patterns of feminine and self-concept scores from late pregnancy to early postpartum. advances in nursing science, 7(3), 32_40.
butcher, h. k., & parker, n. i. (1988). guided imagery within rogers' science of unitary human beings. an experimental study. nursing science quarterly, 1, 103- 110.
butcher, h.k., & parker, n.i. (1990). guided imagery within rogers' science of unitary human beings: an experimental study. in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science- based nursing (pp. 26 9-286). new york: national league for nursing.
rapacz, k.e. (1990). the patterning of time experience and human field motion during the experience of pleasant guided imagery: a discussion. in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science-based nursing (pp. 287-294). new york: national league for nursing.
butcher, h.k., & parker, n.i. (1990). response to "discussion of a study of pleasant guided imagery." in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science-based nursing (pp. 295-297). new york: nation al league for nursing.
carboni, j. t. (1992). instrument development and the measurement of unitary constructs. nursing science quarterly, 5, 134-142.
clarke, p.n. (1986). theoretical and measurement issues in the study of field phenomena. advances in nursing science, 9(1), 29_39.
cowling, w.r. iii. (1986). the relationship of mystical experience, differentiation, and creativity in college students. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 131-143). norwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
cowling, w.r. iii. (1986). the science of unitary human beings: theoretical issues, methodological challenges, and research realities. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 65_77). norwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
crawford, g. (1985). a theoretical model of support network conflict experienced by new mothers. nursing research, 34, 100_102.
drake, m.l., verhulst, d., fawcett, j., & barger, d.f. (1988). spouses' body image changes during and after pregnancy: a replication in canada. image: the journal of nursing scholarship, 20, 88-9 2.
drake, m. l., verhulst, d., & fawcett, j. (1988). physical and psychological symptoms experienced by canadian women and their husbands during pregnancy and the postpartum. journal of advanced nursing, 13, 436-440.
fawcett, j. (1977). the relationship between identification and patterns of change in spouses' body images during and after pregnancy. international journal of nursing studies, 14, 199_213.
fawcett, j. (1978). body image and the pregnant couple. american journal of maternal child nursing, 3, 227_233.
fawcett, j. (1989). spouses' experiences during pregnancy and the postpartum (brief report). applied nursing research, 2, 49-50.
fawcett, j. (1989). spouses' experiences during pregnancy and the postpartum: a program of research and theory development. image: journal of nursing scholarship, 21, 149-152.
eberhard, s. h. (1990). letter to the editor. image: journal of nursing scholarship, 22, 197.
fawcett, j. (1990). response to letter to the editor. image: journal of nursing scholarship, 22, 197.
fawcett, j., bliss-holtz, v.j., haas, m.b., leventhal, m., & rubin, m. (1986). spouses body image changes during and after pregnancy: a replication and extension. nursing research, 35, 220_223.
fawcett, j., & york, r. (1986). spouses' physical and psychological symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum. nursing research, 35, 144_148.
fawcett, j., & york, r. (1987). spouses' strength of identification and reports of symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum. florida nursing review, 2(2), 1_10.
ference, h.m. (1986). foundations of a nursing science and its evolution: a perspective. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 25_32). norwalk , ct: appleton-century-crofts.
ference, h.m. (1986). the relationship of time experience, creativity traits, differentiation, and human field motion. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 95-106). norwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
fitzpatrick, j.j. (1980). patients' perceptions of time: current research. international nursing review, 27, 148_153, 160.
floyd, j.a. (1983). research using rogers' conceptual system: development of a testable theorem. advances in nursing science, 5(2), 37_48.
floyd, j.a. (1984). interaction between personal sleep-wake rhythms and psychiatric hospital rest-activity schedule. nursing research, 33, 255_259.
gaydos, l. s., & farnham, r. (1988). human-animal relationships within the context of rogers' principle of integrality. advances in nursing science, 10(4), 72- 80.
gill, b.p., & atwood, j.r. (1981). reciprocy and helicy used to relate mefg and wound healing. nursing research, 30, 68_72.
kim, h.s. (1983). use of rogers' conceptual system in research: comments. nursing research, 32, 89_91.
atwood, j.r., & gill-rogers, b. (1984). metatheory, methodology and practicality: issues in research uses of rogers' science of unitary man. nursing research, 33, 88_91.
girardin, b.w. (1992). lightwave frequency and sleep wake frequency in well, full-term neonates. holistic nursing practice, 6(4), 57-66.
goldberg, w.g., & fitzpatrick, j.j. (1980). movement therapy with the aged. nursing research, 29, 339_346.
gueldner, s.h. (1986). the relationship between imposed motion and human field motion in elderly individuals living in nursing homes. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 161-172). norwalk, ct: appleton-century- crofts.
gulick, e. e., & bugg, a. (1992). holistic health patterning in multiple sclerosis. research in nursing and health, 15, 175-185.
heidt, p. r. (1990). openness: a qualitative analysis of nurses' and patients' experiences of therapeutic touch. image: journal of nursing scholarship, 22, 180-186.
johnston, l.w. (1993). the development of the human field image metaphor scale. visions: the journal of rogerian nursing science, 1, 55-56.
keller, e., & bzdek, v.m. (1986). effects of therapeutic touch on tension headache pain. nursing research, 35, 101_106.
krieger, d. (1974). the relationship of touch, in intent to help or heal to subjects' in vivo hemoglobin values: a study in personalized interaction. in american nurses' association, ninth nursing re search conference (pp. 39_58). kansas city, mo: american nurses' association.
laffrey, s.c. (1985). health behavior choice as related to self-actualization and health conception. western journal of nursing research, 7, 279_295.
malinski, v.m. (1986). the relationship between hyperactivity in children and perception of short wavelength light. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human bei ngs (pp. 107-118). norwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
malinski, v. m. (1991). the experience of laughing at oneself in older couples. nursing science quarterly, 4, 69-75.
mason, d. j. (1988). circadian rhythms of body temperature and activation and the well-being of older women. nursing research, 37, 276-281.
mcdonald, s.f. (1986). the relationship between visible lightwaves and the experience of pain. in v.m. malinski (ed.), explorations on martha rogers' science of unitary human beings (pp. 119-130). no rwalk, ct: appleton-century-crofts.
mcevoy, m.d. (1990). the relationships among the experience of dying, the experience of paranormal events, and creativity in adults. in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science- based nurs ing (pp. 209-228). new york: national league for nursing.
winstead-fry, p. (1990). reflections on death as a process: a response to a study of the experience of dying. in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science-based nursing (pp. 229-236). new york : national league for nursing.
mcevoy, m.d. (1990). response to "reflections on death as a process." in e.a.m. barrett (ed.), visions of rogers' science- based nursing (pp. 237-238). new york: national league for nursing.
here's some of the research.
i had my first nursing theory class when i was taking bsn courses, and that course was an overview. in grad school we had be familar with many nursing theorists. what nursing theory classes have you taken ?
nursing is a science and needs a theory to build upon like all the other health fields. also americans spend billions of dollars on alternative care, are you saying nursing should not be responsive to cosumer demands?
i am not a big on tt, but it is part of nursing history, to ignore the fact would be short sighted.
what do the nursing researchers at your institutions feel about tt and nursing practice?
it's one thing to teach about tt as a phenomena, and it's another thing altogether to teach students that it is a factual and scientific method of healing. i have no problem with the former. i think the phenomena of faith healing and alternative care modalities should be examined from an educational perspective, since students are going to run into this in the real world. history is fine. we have to know where we've been so we won't repeat the same mistakes in the future.
however, i have a great problem with faculty setting up scented candles and dressing like endora on bewitched and teaching students to practice tt, as though it is some sort of a science that only an elite few are expert in. many faculty members have HUGE egos about their tt practice. pity the poor nonbeliever who is bullied if they speak their mind and don't think the emporer has clothes.
here's the difference. let's say i'm a christian and i'm a nurse. if i were to pray with a patient, it would be as a christian.. not as a nurse. if i were to practice tt, it would be as a faith healer, and not as a nurse.
the things i would do as a nurse would be evidence based, not faith based. that's a huge difference. transforming faith into science only damages the profession.
I can personally attest to the ineffectiveness of some alternative medical treatments because when I was told that I needed surgery for a medical condition I tried all of the available alternative treatments. I spent a lot of money, wasted a lot of time and consumed useless concoctions that probably made my condition worse. And in the end I had my surgery and it took care of my problem.
And for the record, "ineffectiveness" happens with all kinds of treatments, including surgery.
Nursing programs have enough strange electives. (I say this because I'm in school again right now and my colleagues and I have wondered about some of the courses we are required to take that haven't us in any way to become better nurses)
And then one night I walk onto a unit where all the nurses are sitting down and ask why a patient is moaning. The nurses replied that they had done everything they could including max meds. I walked into the room where an elderly Japanese woman was moaning with pain from a fractured shoulder. We nodded at each other and I held her shoulder for a few minutes. She could feel what some of you say can't happen. She said "thank you" and I left the room, stood outside for a minute and listened to her snore. Yes, I was a better nurse than anyone else on that floor.
however, i have a great problem with faculty setting up scented candles and dressing like endora on bewitched
It's a ceremony...kinda like the one a shaman sets up...or Dr. Denton Cooley making rounds with all his underlings...very much a healing thing...the more elaborate the better.
She could feel what some of you say can't happen. She said "thank you" and I left the room, stood outside for a minute and listened to her snore. Yes, I was a better nurse than anyone else on that floor.
I don't say that that can't happen. What I'm saying is that I've accomplished the SAME results with prayer. So, what makes you think TT deserves a higher place at the 'table', so to speak?
Timothy Ferris, "The Whole Shebang: A State of the Universe(s) Report" Simon and Shuster 1997:
"The empirical spirit on which the Western democratic societies were founded is currently under attack, and not just by such traditional adversaries as religious fundamentalists and devotees of the occult. Serious scholars claim that there is no such thing as progress and assert that science is but a collection of opinions, as socially conditioned as the weathervane world of Paris couture. Far too many students accept the easy belief that they need not bother learning much science, since a revolution will soon disprove all that is currently accepted anyway. In such a climate it may be worth affirming that science really is progressive and cumulative, and that well-established theories, though they may turn out to be subsets of larger and farther-reaching ones - as happened when Newtonian mechanics was incorporated by Einstein into general relativity - are seldom proved wrong. As the physicist Steven Weinberg writes, "One can imagine a category of experiments that refute well accepted theories, theories that have become part of standard consensus of physics. Under this category I can find no examples whatever in the past one hundred years." Science is not perfect, but neither is it just one more sounding board for human folly. . .
Scientific findings, even the most imposing ones, customarily stumble into the world fraught with blunders tht have to be worked out before they can really begin to fly. The lack the satisfying, thunderclap certitude of religious and pseudoscientific dicta that admit to no error. But they are alive, and the withering of one branch of a theory does not necessarily mean that the theory as a whole is doomed."
Einstein (in reference to Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion): "Kepler had to recognize that even the most lucid logical mathematical theory was of itself no guarantee of truth, becoming meaningless unless it was checked against the most exacting observations in natural science."
Einstein (regarding Galileo): "Pure logical thinking cannot yield us any knowledge of the empirical world; all knowledge of reality starts from experience and ends in it. Propositions arrived at by purely logical means are completely empty as regards reality. Because Galileo saw this, and particularly because he drummed it into the scientific world, he is the father of modern physics - indeed, of modern science altogether."
I don't say that that can't happen. What I'm saying is that I've accomplished the SAME results with prayer. So, what makes you think TT deserves a higher place at the 'table', so to speak?
~faith,
Timothy.
I still assert that I don't think it has a higher place at the table than anything else...as I've said before.
TT was a rather innocuous subject in my nursing education. Basically, it was described as the benefit that nurses have over other practitioners based on their constancy with the patient and their (mundane, non-supernatural) use of touch.
Those bizarre ceremonies however do sound like they have no place in mainstream academic nursing _ unless of course they serve as a celebration of nursing history or the like.
birthmamaew
58 Posts
Hmm, here's a scientific article. I suppose there will be something wrong with it:
"Positive touch, the implications for parents and their children with autism: an exploratory study.
Cullen LA, Barlow JH, Cushway D.
School of Health and Social Science, Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Health, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK. [email protected]
The aims of this study were (1) to explore the experience of touch between parents and children with autism before, during, and after a Training and Support Programme (TSP), and (2) to develop a model of the process of touch therapy for this group of parents and children. Fourteen parents and their children agreed to take part in the study. Five of these parents withdrew. Reasons for withdrawal included personal circumstances and ill health. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews with parents before attending the TSP and Home Record Sheets completed by parents during the TSP. Results indicate that before the TSP touch was experienced as out of parents' control. During the TSP, the experience of touch appeared to change. A key benefit gained by parents was the feeling of closeness to children. The key benefits gained by children were perceived by the parents as improved sleep patterns, children were more relaxed after receiving the massage and appeared more amenable to touch. Of interest was children's request for massage at home. At 16-week follow-up both parents and children continue to enjoy giving and receiving touch therapy, respectively."
Can't say there's anything wrong this, myself.