CAMPing in the PACU: using complementary and alternative medical practices in the PACU
Preliminary EvidenceIn Plain Language
This case study will show the effectiveness of various forms of holistic healing (Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, Reiki, and reflexology) when used during the perianesthesia period for reduction of stress and pain. Brief introductions of each of the forms of complementary medicine will be provided with correlation to the case study. The reader will see how the nurse interprets the physical and emotional changes of the patient and identifies how and when to intercede with complementary forms of healing.
Key Findings: what this case study found
- ✓Complementary and alternative medical practices including Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, Reiki, and reflexology were effective for reducing stress and pain during the perianesthesia period.
- ✓Nurses can use physical and emotional patient assessments to determine the appropriate timing and type of complementary healing interventions to implement.
- ✓Holistic healing practices demonstrated measurable effectiveness when integrated into perioperative nursing care in the post-anesthesia care unit.
What This Means for You
While this case study suggests reflexology may help with stress and pain after surgery, the evidence is limited to one case study without a control group, so more rigorous research is needed before drawing firm conclusions about its effectiveness.
What This Means for Practitioners
This case study demonstrates practical opportunities for nurses to integrate reflexology and complementary practices into perioperative care by carefully observing and responding to patients' physical and emotional needs during recovery.
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
While this case study suggests reflexology may help with stress and pain after surgery, the evidence is limited to one case study without a control group, so more rigorous research is needed before drawing firm conclusions about its effectiveness.
What did this study find?
Complementary and alternative medical practices including Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, Reiki, and reflexology were effective for reducing stress and pain during the perianesthesia period. Nurses can use physical and emotional patient assessments to determine the appropriate timing and type of complementary healing interventions to implement. Holistic healing practices demonstrated measurable effectiveness when integrated into perioperative nursing care in the post-anesthesia care unit.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a case study and we rate its evidence preliminary. It was published in Journal of perianesthesia nursing : official journal of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
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