Navapache Regional Medical Center Therapeutic Touch Policy
Policy
Practitioners will use Therapeutic Touch within the scope of practice outlined by the Arizona State Board of Nursing.
It shall be the policy of Navapache Regional Medical Center (NRMC) that Therapeutic Touch may be practiced by any practitioner who has completed either of the following two training options:
1. At least eight hours of Therapeutic Touch training at Arizona State University or equivalent provider;
2. Level I of the American Holistic Nurse’s Association Healing Touch Certificate program.
Training and continuing education documentation in therapeutic touch will be maintained by trainees and will be available to NRMC upon request. Approval to practice therapeutic touch will be obtained from the department manager upon providing proof of training.
Procedure
Explain the procedure and obtain verbal permission from patient or family whenever possible. A physician order is required for this procedure.
1. The practitioner centers by bringing the body, mind, and emotions to a quiet, focused state of consciousness.
2. Make the conscious intention to therapeutically assist the individual.
3. Assess the recipient’s energy field using the hands and other cues to become aware of differences in the symmetry of the field. Hands are usually held 2-4 inches away from the individual’s body and are moved in a head-to-foot direction over the front, then the back of the body.
4. Use calm, rhythmic hand movements (unruffling) to clear areas of energy imbalance in the field.
5. Use hands to modulate and direct energy as determined by the assessment.
6. Repeat prior phases as necessary (i.e., assessment, unruffling, directing, and modulating energy).
7. Finish when no further asymmetries are noted.
8. Allow recipient an opportunity to rest.
9. Verbally evaluate recipient’s response and note physical changes.
10. Document procedure:
a.) Identify the presenting problem and describe it in the patient’s words.
b.) Identify from assessment process any areas of block, congestion, and imbalance. (Consider using diagrammatic documentation.)
c.) List methods of intervention used and describe them.
d.) Evaluate the procedure using subjective observations (e.g., generalized feelings of warmth, spontaneous verbal response — a sigh or comment of "I feel relaxed;" description of change in pain or anxiety levels); and objective observations (e.g., lowering of the recipient’s voice, slowing and deepening of recipient’s respiration, subtle flush of skin [especially in areas treated], decreased pulse, and/or lowered blood pressure).
Source: Navapache Regional Medical Center, Show Low, AZ.
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