The Effects of an Online, Evidence-Based Educational Program about Healing Touch for Nurses' Consideration for a Change in Practice

Healing touch is a holistic healing modality, grounded in nursing theory and process used to facilitate relaxation and self- healing through the practitioner’s heart centered care and use of their hands to balance the patient’s energy fields. It is not a widely implemented practice by nurses; less than one percent of the nurses in the United States are certified practitioners. This study was performed in an attempt to learn why more nurses are not informed about the practice, to educate nurses about the evidence supporting HT and to identify the barriers to practice. This pilot study assessed nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and experience with Healing Touch and evaluated the efficacy of viewing an educational video about Healing Touch and the evidence supporting its use, to consider changing their practice to include Healing Touch techniques. The objective of the educational program was to (a) provide an overview of the theoretical basis, scientific data, applications, and nursing implications for Healing Touch; (b) position Healing Touch as an evidence-based nursing intervention that is consistent with the recommendations of Institute of Medicine and (IOM) American Nurses’ Association (ANA) to implement evidence-based practice (EBP) that promote healing of the self and others and 2) incorporate mind, spirit and technology into nursing practice