Facilitating comfort for hospitalized patients using non-pharmacological measures: preliminary development of clinical practice guidelines
Preliminary EvidenceIn Plain Language
Nurses often use non-pharmacological measures to facilitate comfort for patients within the hospital setting. However, guidelines for use of these measures are commonly inadequate or absent. This paper presents 12 clinical practice guidelines that were developed from the findings of a literature review into non-pharmacological measures that are thought to facilitate patient comfort. The non-pharmacological measures addressed in these guidelines are: Aromotherapy, Distraction, Guided Imagery, Laughter, Massage, Music, Reiki, Heat or Cold, Meditation, Reflexology, Reposition and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. These are preliminary guidelines for the use of non-pharmacological measures and further research and development of such guidelines is recommended.
Key Findings: what this systematic review found
- ✓Nurses frequently employ non-pharmacological measures to enhance patient comfort in hospital settings, but clinical practice guidelines for these interventions are often inadequate or missing.
- ✓Twelve preliminary clinical practice guidelines were developed through literature review covering non-pharmacological interventions including aromatherapy, massage, music, reflexology, meditation, and other comfort measures.
- ✓Further research and development of clinical practice guidelines for non-pharmacological comfort measures is recommended to establish more robust evidence-based standards.
What This Means for You
Reflexology is recognized as a potential comfort measure in hospitals, but the evidence supporting it is still developing and clearer guidelines are needed before making strong recommendations.
What This Means for Practitioners
Use these preliminary guidelines as a starting point for reflexology practice in clinical settings, but be aware that further research and guideline development are needed to strengthen the evidence base.
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
Reflexology is recognized as a potential comfort measure in hospitals, but the evidence supporting it is still developing and clearer guidelines are needed before making strong recommendations.
What did this study find?
Nurses frequently employ non-pharmacological measures to enhance patient comfort in hospital settings, but clinical practice guidelines for these interventions are often inadequate or missing. Twelve preliminary clinical practice guidelines were developed through literature review covering non-pharmacological interventions including aromatherapy, massage, music, reflexology, meditation, and other comfort measures. Further research and development of clinical practice guidelines for non-pharmacological comfort measures is recommended to establish more robust evidence-based standards.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a systematic review and we rate its evidence preliminary. It was published in International journal of nursing practice, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
Looking for a reflexologist?
Find practitioners who can help with the conditions studied in this research.
Find a Reflexologist