31st Annual Conference—Non-Research Posters

TITLE: “Nourishing the Sacred Flow” in a Community Health Center Setting DESCRIPTION: A nurse led wellness center, offering complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) for low-mod income, diverse patients, provided in partnership with Primary Care. OVERVIEW WHY: Patients in health center settings often face complex, multifaceted stressors that extend beyond their immediate medical needs. Wellness and stress reduction programs are not often covered by insurance, and may not be easily accessible to low income, diverse patient populations. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey showed that although CAM use has increased for deep breathing, meditation, massage, and yoga, use is greater among women and those with higher levels of education and higher incomes. INTERVENTION: The nurse-led Wellness Center was established to provide cost effective, easily accessible and culturally sensitive wellness services for health center patients, including acupuncture, massage, Tai Chi, Yoga, Mind Body stress reduction, and exercise groups. Program costs are kept affordable through primary care support, grants and philanthropy. Wellness staff document in electronic medical records shared with PCP’s. OUTCOMES: Patient self-reported outcomes include reductions in pain, depression, and anxiety, as well as improved mobility, balance, sleep, and quality of life. Mind Body Group clinical scales show significant decrease in depressive symptoms, with a mean CES-D 10 change from 18 to 12 (p=0.001), significant improvement in Spiritual Growth (Life Profile II) from 2.0 to 2.4 (p=0.002), and significant improvement in mental health (SF-12) from 34 to 50 (p=0.001). FUTURE PLANS: We continue to expand Wellness programs to other affiliated health centers, build our capacity to provide these services in a culturally and ethnically sensitive manner, and collect outcome data.

Background: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a complex pain syndrome that affects many aspects of a woman’s health; physical, psychological and spiritual. It is important that we care for women with CPP using a holistic approach so that we can address all aspects of their health. Holistic nursing emphasizes the patient-nurse relationship and caring for the whole patient: mind, body and spirit. Description: The Centering® model of care is an innovative approach to group-based healthcare across the lifecourse that is used to manage health conditions, such as pregnancy and diabetes, over the long-term. Four aspects of Centering® are self empowerment, education, peer support and medical care. We are adapting these elements for the care of women with CPP. This model of care promotes self care. For instance, each group member gets her own blood pressure reading, weight and helps manage the information in her chart. This facilitates the woman’s participation in her care. Essential health education about living with CPP is provided so that each woman has tools to improve her quality of life. Over 10 sessions, topics include: causes and treatments of CPP, pain management strategies, therapeutic exercises, communication skills, sexuality issues, mind/body approaches, and nutrition. Centering® encourages peer support and group problem solving. During each group meeting there is time for sharing and discussion in the circle. Many of the women will have experiences and knowledge to share that is beneficial to other group members. The facilitative leadership style used in Centering® honors each member’s contribution to the group. Before coming together as a group, each woman has the opportunity to meet with the provider for an assessment and discussion of any health issues of concern to her. Future Plans: The groups will start in early 2011. Our goal is to improve the quality of life of women living with chronic pelvic pain. We plan to conduct research to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the groups as well as improvement in outcomes such as pain, function, and other measures of quality of life.

Title: An Integrative Approach at Reducing Anxiety in the ICU using Guided Imagery

Description of Project or Activity:

This presentation was developed to inspire other nurses to employ integrative approaches to reduce the effects of chronic illnesses using nurse driven interventions.

This project eases stress and anxiety in patients by promoting a sense of peace during stressful times in the intensive care unit for patients undergoing cardiac procedures. This project incorporates the power of the mind to assist patients in healing, relaxation and health promotion by using guided imagery. This process will form an emotional connection between the mind, body, and spirit thereby reducing stress and anxiety in the ICU.

Overview of project (why done, intervention used, outcomes):

Veterans in the ICU often experience intense overwhelming stressors that often exacerbate already present anxiety disorders. In an attempt to reduce levels of anxiety and its sequelae, in the ICU and critical care area, a guided imagery intervention aimed specifically at this population has been implemented. Nurses in the selected unit were educated and informed about guided imagery’s clinical effectiveness and use in the ICU and were taught how to use prerecorded guided imagery CDs. The outcomes of this project will be determined in April, 2011.

Future plans based on project outcomes:

After successful implementation of this project, its possible effectiveness in other clinical areas, outside of the ICU, will be explored and implemented. A quantitative study examining the effectiveness of guided imagery in other critical care patients, such as oncology patients, is warranted and would be of interest since much of the current research has been aimed at patients undergoing cardiac procedures.

Oncology patients and their caregivers typically experience a great deal of stress and anxiety as they move through the journey of diagnosis, treatment, and sometimes end of life. Based on the requests from many of our oncology patients who were missing their pets left at home, we speculated that having a therapy dog in the hospital would provide peace and comfort to help alleviate their stress. There are multiple theories that back up this speculation. For instance, the presence of pets has been found to provide the kind of nonevaluative social support that is critical to buffering physiological responses to stress. Pleasurable stimuli offered at the time of psychological distress can contribute to the alleviation of distress and discomfort through a variety of potential mechanisms. Attachment theory tells us that people become attached to those who are sensitive and responsive in social interactions with them, and a therapy dog that is consistently available over time can fill this role.

A combination of input from our patients and a review of related literature led us to initiate an animal-assisted therapy program two years ago in our setting, which offers integrative, whole-person care. Our situation is unique in that we have an in-house animal-handler team consisting of an RN and one facility dog who make daily rounds to oncology inpatients and outpatients. The overwhelmingly positive responses from our patients, family caregivers, and staff have inspired us to share this experience with others and to develop a formal research project to further investigate the positive benefits of animal-assisted therapy in a medical setting.

This poster presentation will cover three main areas:

  1)    The introduction of animal-assisted therapy and its benefits in a medical setting

  2)    A summary of our findings of the ways in which this innovative practice has enhanced the emotional and physical well-being of patients, caregivers, and staff over the past two years. Examples of the themes include: 

• Creating a distraction from the stress and pain of cancer;
• Helping people through times of waiting, uncertainty, and loneliness;
• Providing a more homelike environment, thus easing the transition from home to hospital;
• Creating an opportunity for people to express feelings they might have otherwise kept inside;
• Providing physical and emotional comfort.

  3) An overview of our future plans, which include a formal research project (proposal submitted November 2010; implementation expected January 2011) and expanding the role of the therapy dog in our hospital.

 

Being Globally Holistic: The Botswana “I am Proud to be a Nurse” campaign I had the privilege of being an International visiting scholar at the University of Botswana in 2010. There are approximately 8,000 practicing nurses in Botswana. Many nurses work in difficult circumstances, exposed to shortages of equipment, medicines, and poor practice environments. The nursing shortage is felt particularly sharply in Botswana. In the United States and Canada, there are between 10 and 15 nurses per 1,000 people, depending on the state or province. The ratio of nurses in Botswana is about 3.8 per 1,000. Most of us practicing in North America are proud of our profession. In Botswana, however, the image of nursing has become tainted and stories of poor practice have been appearing in the media. As a visiting scholar I was invited to consult on several projects to enhance nursing and nursing organization and function in Botswana. In response to the concerns the Nurses Association of Botswana (NAB) and the Ministry of Health have started the “I am proud to be a nurse” campaign. This campaign was initiated to improve the image and reputation of nurses and midwives in the country and to improve the publics’ and the nurses’ respect and confidence in nursing. My role in this campaign is highlighted. The experience of doing holistic nursing on global level will be showcased on the poster as well as suggestions and opportunities for others willing to think globally.

Compassionate Care: End-of-Life in Pediatrics Description: Graduate nurses who choose to work in the field of pediatrics do not generally consider that palliative/end-of-life care skills may be needed in this setting. The subject of death is not a comfortable topic for nursing students; particularly when the subject is death as it pertains to the pediatric population. As nurse educators, it is important to incorporate learning strategies that encourage students to reflect critically upon their feelings regarding death. Engaging students in honest discussion about death often opens the door for students to see death not as an ending, but as an important life journey that we all embark upon. Objectives: Introduce two learner centered strategies that encourage students to do the following: critically reflect upon their feelings regarding death; provide compassionate care to pediatric patients and their families at end-of-life. Evaluation: discuss and evaluate two strategies: an interactive lecture with Power Point and two simulation scenarios introduced to a group of 20 undergraduate nursing students in their junior year of a 4 year nursing program. Two tools used in the project: Mazor’s, Schwartz’s and Rogers’ Concern About Dying Scale; and a modified version of the Methodist Health Care Systems Nurse Caring Instrument. Conclusions and Implications: This project not only introduced students to a subject that is often not considered, but also served as an educational tool for educators. The strategies show the importance of having a passion for teaching and a desire to ignite a passion for learning in the students; regardless of the subject matter.

-Title of Project: Creating an Integral- Holistic Nursing Education Curricula: The Journey -Description of Project or Activity: This presentation will present the journey of one nurse faculty applying a holistic-caring-integral approach to curriculum development in an emerging RN- BSN program. -Overview of project (why done, intervention used, outcomes): Bevis and Watson (2000) charged educators with creating a caring curricula for nursing students, and yet the movement toward caring and holism in nursing education in many programs has been slow or non-existent. Having written my PhD dissertation on applying Watson's theory to the educational setting, I was asked to create and implement a caring-holistic-integral framework to guide our curriculum development in a newly emerging RN- BSN program. Curriculum are reviewed using Watson's Human Caring theory and Ken Wilber's quadrant model of development. Of great importance is the idea that both students and faculty are supported in their self-care efforts, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs is employed to guide students with their self-care processes. Electives for credit such as a Reiki level one training, monthly caring circles, and the inclusion of the requirement of a self-care portfolio in the senior seminar/ capstone class all helped to support students in the learning to care for self in order to create sustainable caring-healing-holistic practices. -Future plans based on project outcomes: To support other educators in undertaking this process and to continue to grow in my personal ability to create a sacred, empowering learning community for this population of nurses. To continue to measure students outcomes and experiences of development as caring beings.

Painful Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FIG's) affect a large number of children. It interferes with daily life on several levels. Medical magagement has been limited. However, behavior strategies have been shown to have a positive impact on the pain. One study showed that guided imagery and progressive relaxation can safely and effectively reduce chronic abdominal pain, improve social functioning and school attendance.

Guided imagary is a low cost treatment that can reduce the frequency and intensity of pain episodes. 

AIM: Guided Imagery is an effective intervention for children with functional abdominal pain. After completing a three part series of guided imagery, the quality of life improves for this patient population.

Description: I developed a guided imagery program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to offer additional interventions for children with fucntional abdominal pain. Based on a literature review, I established a three part series of guided imagery. Groups meet three consecutive weeks for 40 minutes in the gastroenterology clinic. The groups are also stratified by age. Each week, 2-4 new interventions are offered for a total of 7 techinques.  At the end of the three weeks, families are asked to complete a post evalution: what impact, if any did the program have on your child? What would if anything would you change? 

 After completing the sessions, families report: children sleep better, feel more confident, can better manage the pain and have less episodes.

 

Holistic Art Facilitation and Holistic Art Coaching Background and Context: As nurses explore new avenues for enhancing client wellness and fulfill new roles in clinical practice, the Holistic Art Facilitation (HAF) and Holistic Art Coaching (HAC) processes make possible new inroads into effective clinical nursing interventions with visual image making.

Aim/Objectives: The HAF/HAC process engages nurses, unlicensed assistive personal, and clients in the healing activity of making symbolic and phenomenological images.

Outline of Main Content: HAF and HAC is a novel, two-tiered approach. The Holistic Art Facilitation portion (HAF) guides the RN Holistic Practioner through nursing process to assess a client’s readiness for expressive interventions.  The HAF also guides second level practitioners, the Holistic Art Coach (HAC).  HAC is for non-professionals and employs the principles of peer support and hope to enhance wellness under the RN HAF.  HAF/HAC is not designed to occupy the psychoanalytic space), but rather HAF/HAC focuses on the application of creativity in the life-journey.  Nursing makes use of the creative space, helping realize current reality, or life-visions, through artistic expression.  This work delineates the differences between art therapy and the HAF/HAC nursing process.

Conclusion and Implications: Holistic Nursing has within its reach a new arena to assist clients on the life-journey within the nursing process.  HAF/HAC processes are designed to augment the patient care experience with respect to the creative energies of the client and their families.  This modality allows nurses to develop healing within themselves, the institution, the community, and the world.

 

The holistic resetllement model will assist with the resettlement of a group of refugees from Burundi into an urban neighborhood in Cincinnati, OH. The program's goal is to use a holistic model of resettlement, understanding that successful integration attends not just to the physical and economic needs of the refugees, but also addresses the health, psychosocial, and spiritual needs they identify. Much of this work will be done through a women's support group facilitated by a faith community nurse at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church. This church serves as the spiritual home for many of the refugees. By addressing the needs identified by the refugees, we hope to assist in their acculturation to their new home. This project was undertaken because this particular group of refugees faced multiple challenges. Many were members of the group designated by the United Nations as the "1972 Burundians", who had been in refugee camps for all or most of their lives. They were resettled in a place where not only the culture and the language were foreign, but so were the conveniences we take for granted, such as refrigerators and stoves. Daily activities such as using public transportation and shopping were complicated by the language barrier. Translation of written instructions was not usually plausible since many of the refugees had no schooling and were illiterate in their own language. These issues were addressed by convening a "women's circle". Through an interpreter, the women identified issues of particular concern. The format of the women's circle included opening with prayer or reflection, ESOL instruction, sharing of a meal, and a time for addressing topics suggested by the women. The women's circle was facilitated by the faith community nurse and a licensed counselor who is also a pastoral assistant at the church. Other collaborators were brought into the group as needed. When employment became a concern, a local arts group provided materials and instruction crafting items to sell. As the group progressed, the women began to view it as their own "community of support". Projected outcomes for the first year include: -25% of refugees are employed to facilitate self-sufficiency -25% of refugees are proficient in English -Development of a men's group, using the women's circle as a model -Provide training for member of women's circle to become a community health worker

 

Future plans based on projected outcomes include: Continue ESOL classes to increase numbers of English speakers; expand numbers of vendors/retail outlets who will sell goods crafted by the refugees; increase attendance at men's group; expand role of indigenous community health worker and encourage further education (nursing or social work degree)

Introduction to Resilience in Nursing Description: This elective was designed to provide graduate and undergraduate nursing students with necessary skills to engage in resilience practices. Resilience was defined as the ability to manage stressful situations while maintaining mental, physical and spiritual well-being. The elective focused on development of knowledge and practice of self assessment, self-care and resilience techniques. Overview: In focus groups and clinical conferences, nursing students have validated the need for training and support to help them physically, emotionally and spiritually cope with rigorous demands of nursing. One way we responded to this request was to develop and offer an Introduction to Resilience in Nursing elective. Students developed stress management skills while learning about resilience modalities, including meditation, yoga and storytelling. The class provided didactic sessions and supervised practice. Students developed and implemented personal resilience projects and shared in class, through online journaling and presentation. Examples of projects included creating music and developing exercise patterns for stress reduction, creating art for expressing emotions and mindful eating for health and well-being. Students were graded on self-management, journals, project development and presentation. The course was evaluated in a formative and summative manner. Students reported that their developing skills helped them cope with demands of classroom and clinical settings. Future Plans: This class began as a pilot project, has been offered twice and is expanding to reach more students. Course faculty are exploring ways to integrate resilience practices throughout the curriculum and offering this course to other schools within the University.

Title of Project: Modeling Self Care for the People we Serve

Objective: The objective of the presentation is to present a personal care program for nurses that is grounded in  holistic principles and practices that can be used to assist themselves and ultimately their patients in achieving  optimal health and wellness. 

Description of Project or Activity: Define various self care techniques that the nurse can use that include but are not limited to: Information on a healthy diet (recipes included), an exercise plan and environmental suggestions.  Additionally, various types of energy medicine including yoga, Reiki, acupuncture, meditation and spiritual guidelines will be introduced. 

Overview of project (why done, intervention used, outcomes): This prescriptive self care guide for nurses gives tips on holistic ways toward health and wellness through this easy to follow format which includes healthy lifestyle suggestions that can then be modeled for patients. Ultimately the best path to health and well-being is found from within from a place of centering, balance and peace.

-Future plans based on project outcomes: Explore feedback from nurses who have utilized these self care techniques to ascertain effectiveness of each on providing assistance in creating a sense of centering, peace and balance in their life and how this translated to the care they delivered to patients.

 

Abstract: -Title: Norton Healthcare Holistic Care Committee (HCC) – Snack and Relax Program -Description: Norton Hospital has developed a HCC with a focus on providing support to nursing staff. The committee has created a free monthly offering to nurses titled “Snack and Relax”. Here nursing staff can enjoy healthy snacks, a healing atmosphere and experience holistic modalities such as Reiki, Healing Touch and Craniosacral Therapy. -Overview: Burnout is a huge problem in the nursing profession. Medically complex patients, higher patient-to-nurse ratios, and lack of self care all contribute to burnout. Nursing turnover depletes resources and interferes with continuity of care. The Snack and Relax Program was offered to nurses as a supportive measure to prevent distress and burnout. Stress was assessed before and after the Snack and Relax experience. There were minor improvements in quantitative measures of stress and more impressive reductions in self-report stress among nursing staff following the experience. Nursing staff also provided insightful feedback about the overall benefits of the experience and expressed a desire to extend these services to patients. By creating a healing experience for nursing staff, nurses are better supported and prepared to tend to the sacred flow of life in a hospital setting. -Future: The Holistic Care Committee is currently in the process of writing a grant to acquire funding for continuing and expanding the program. The results will be taken to administration to demonstrate the benefit of holistic staff support as well as the benefits of offering holistic modalities to patients.

Title of Project: Spiritual Support for Online Nursing Students is of the Essence Description of Project or Activity: Research shows that spiritual support is beneficial for students. Instructors can provide spiritual support online by; • Making self reflection and keeping a journal part of the written assignments • Empowering students to make a difference by discussing stories in the discussion board of how ordinary nurses made an extraordinary difference for the profession or in the lives of others • Discussing ways for charitable involvement. Posting or providing links to specific opportunities online for helping others • Fostering acceptance for the uniqueness of others, especially for those of different races and cultures, within the discussion board • Establishing an online presence by letting the students know that they value what the students are saying and that they are not being criticized for their views • Using the announcement section to let students know that they are being prayed for or that they are in the instructor’s thoughts. • Making students aware of the chaplaincy services that the school provides • Traveling with students on their journey of learning but allowing the students to find their own way Overview of project (why done, intervention used, outcomes): Students can feel disconnected and dissatisfied at times in the online setting. Studies have shown that students want spiritual support, but do not always have their spiritual needs met by their instructors in their classes. The basis for providing spiritual support for online students is grounded in Parse's Human Becoming theory and scientific evidence. Future plans based on project outcomes: Integrating spirituality within an online class is not expensive or difficult. Student satisfaction can improve.

Educators, while tending to the sacred flow of life in diverse student populations, utilize creative activities desgined to stimulate thinking, reflection, exploration, and growth. This poster represents the culmination of a project in which students from four different nursing programs at Capital University responded to requests to give their interpretation of what the phrase "Holistic Nursing: Tending the Sacred Flow of Life" means to them in the holistic nursing practice.  Students from traditional BSN, RN-BSN, accelerated second degree (C-NAP), and MSN programs were invited to participate by 1) responding to an online survey asking students to share their personal understanding and interpretations of the above phrase (60 word limit); or, 2) participating in an essay contest to share their personal reflections on the phrase in 500 words or less. Faculty believed that utilizing two methods of participation would encourage students to share their thoughts in the way they found most comfortable. 

The poster, created by a faculty mentor and the students, illuminates the vision of those who participated in this project.  The labyrinth serves as the center, unifying the voices of those who are at very different stages of their professional life.  An intentional process of theme and trend identification offers direction in the creation of the surrounding poster structure.  Through art, photography, narrative, and poetry, brought to life with gentle yet vivid colors and shapes, the poster is a beautiful aesthetic expression of the whole...of the meaning that these students discovered on this deeply reflective journey. 

The practice of palliative aquatics deserves careful consideration as nurses continue to explore and develop the breadth and depth of nursing practice within existing and future nursing specialties.

Description of Project or Activity: Over the past five years this presenter has given over 1200 palliative aquatic sessions to inpatients and family members in a pediatric palliative facility. Medically fragile children with life-limiting conditions receive sessions from this holistic nurse specialist who has advanced training in aquatics. The program has become an integral part of the overall palliative care program. Overview of project: The purpose of these sessions is to provide patients and their families with life-affirming, enjoyable and comforting activities that also reduce stress and pain. The child is placed in a warm (96º) pool while being carefully supported and monitored. The nurse hydrotherapist uses a variety of aquatic techniques to encourage relaxation and reduction of spasticity and pain. Oxygen and suction equipment are on deck. As appropriate, family members are welcome to participate in the session. These interactions help to “normalize” family life which is frequently disrupted by the protracted, serious illness of a sibling. As parents cuddle their dying child in womblike water, they experience an enhanced experience of reverence in this weightless environment. Night nurses frequently observe the child sleeps better. Future Plans Based on Project Outcomes: Data collection is ongoing. A palliative aquatics manual is currently being written. This nurse aquatics specialist plans to implement and teach palliative aquatics at other adult and pediatric palliative facilities worldwide. With their strong assessment skills and extensive patient care experience, holistic nurses are ideal candidates for training in the practice of palliative aquatics with children and adults.

Holistic nursing praxis is the embodiment of theory and research through practice. Flow is state of consciousness experienced by individuals as a change in their sense of time and merging of action with awareness.  A nurse’s immersion into the flow of holism allows the exploration and participation for the evolutionary processes of holistic nursing praxis. Holistic nurses, practitioners and educators are challenged to find innovative and creative ways to discover and integrate the philosophy, concepts, frameworks, and theories essential to caring within holistic practice. As educators, we have asked, “How can we create an environment that nurtures this exploration?” “How might we weave holism into technology?” “Can students feel cared for online?” When teaching nurses and nursing students online about relational caring and holism, the creative use of art, WIKIs and reflection fosters an environment where students can engage fully with the constructs, frameworks and theories central to caring and holistic practice. This poster presentation will provide exemplars from holistic nurses and students enrolled in an online baccalaureate nursing course that illuminate the learning potentials of art, reflective practice and wikis to enhance a nurse’s integration of holism within a caring practice. Strategies designed to support this caring environment will be shared. Insights discovered from this pilot project can be integrated into a variety of nursing courses offered to a diverse student population.   

Keywords: Nursing, Caring, Praxis, Art, Reflection, Wikis

The Family Resource Room: A Healing Environment for Families Description: The Family Resource Room provides a relaxing environment for parents, encouraging them to spend time away from the ill child's bedside. It is a gathering place designed to offer respite for family members. Available activities include internet with printing and fax, patient education materials, magazines, easy reading library, refreshments, consultation space, Parent Relaxation Activities, Emergency Clothes Closet, and special events. The room has become a haven. One parent wrote, "Coming into the Resource Room is like being hugged." Overview of Project: Every day Parent Relaxation Activities are offered to encourage parent self care. They include acupuncture, chair massage, Reiki, meditation, therapeutic touch, acupressure, expressive arts and yoga. Sessions are provided by licensed professionals who are credentialled and experienced in their specific intervention in a quiet and private space. These sessions introduce parents to new ways to care for themselves while in the hospital and for their future use. They may be inspired to refer their child to the hospital's Integrative Therapies Team. Evaluations of sessions indicate a decrease in self-scored stress levels. Comments are rich: "helps to calm my anger & it is good."; "I was transported to a magical, ethereal place."; " helped me to see things more clearly."; "I realized I had not felt human touch in awhile." Future Plans: New grant submissions continue to expand funding for Resource Room activities. Creating addiitonal Parent Relaxation Activities opportunities on an expanded number of inpatient units will increase experiences for family healing.

Title: The Labyrinth as a Path of Healing

Description of the Project: This project demonstrates ways in which the effects of labyrinth walking are consistent with qualities associated with healing. Although healing is a personal and unique experience, there are qualities of healing that are consistently described in the literature. In this poster presentation, the relationship between "labyrinth effects," as described by labyrinth walkers, and the healing process will be shown.

Overview of the Project: Amidst the stressors in life, people are searching for holistic healing. The labyrinth, a path for walking meditation, has been introduced as a way to deal with life stressors. Labyrinths are being built in hospitals, schools, parks, and prisons. What is the impact of walking the labyrinth on participants?

Individuals who have walked labyrinths in various settings have shared their responses to the experience. Over 500 reports of the effects of walking the labyrinth have been completed. Review of the reports has shown the positive relationship of responses with definitions of healing presented in the holistic nursing literature.  The survey reports indicate that, following labyrinth walks, people described feeling more relaxed, open, reflective, quiet, less stressed, as well as other characteristics reflective of the healing process. A summary of respondants' descriptions of the effects of labyrinth walking and their consistency with definitions of healing will be presented. This relationship supports the healing potential of the labyrinth.

Future Plans: Additional information about the impact of the labyrinth on healing may be discovered by comparing the effects of walking differnt types of labyrinth patterns. Also, reports of the effects of using finger labyrinths would be useful for nurses. Finger labyrinths are more accessible for clients who have restricted mobility.

 

 

Few moments are more sacred and filled with mystery than the final transition from this life. As holistic nurses, we tend to families from birth through death. In that tending, we must be aware of the cultural and spiritual traditions of those we care for. There are a little over three million practicing Hindu’s in the United States: a tiny but growing number.  Hinduism is the oldest known religion still in practice today, but most Americans know very little about it. Family and community interconnectedness are very important. Traditional rituals and practices for the time nearing death should be discussed with families to make sure their spiritual needs are respected and addressed.

Hindu beliefs and end-of-life practices are in alignment with holistic principles. Artificially prolonging life without quality goes against both karma and reincarnation. Traditionally, Hindu’s will want to die at home surrounded by family and friends. Saying prayers and chanting one’s mantra helps bring one closer to God at death. Putting a little water from the sacred Ganges River and a tulsi leaf (a type of basil) in the dying person’s mouth just before death are also important end-of-life rituals.

Karma, a moral and cosmic cause and effect and reincarnation, a rebirth into a new life on earth are major beliefs in Hinduism. The concept of rebirth gives patients and families comfort as death nears. Suffering pain and other discomfort near the time of death may erase bad karma. Understanding Hindu beliefs will help holistic practitioners give culturally sensitive end-of-life care and create a sacred space for this crucial life transition.

Use of a Healing/Therapy Garden in a Pediatric Rehabilitation Facility

Background and Context:  In rehabilitation facilities, cures typically do not occur.  Rather the facility provides services that assist clients in achieving their greatest potential and being at peace with whatever that potential may be.  The concept of providing a healing environment is pervasive throughout the facility.  In this vein, when one particular facility was in the planning process for its new Outpatient Center, staff were clear that it needed to include a garden.   

Aim and Objectives:  Through its Healing/Therapy Garden, the facility welcomes those who come to the Outpatient Center by offering a place of respite during treatments and therapies.  Its multiple water fountains, benches, and labyrinth provide a place for meditation and relaxation, and its unique outdoor "therapy rooms" with natural surfaces allow clients to work on their goals while facing real-life challenges. 

Outline and Main Content:  Describes the process used by this facility to integrate the elements of healing and therapies to create a garden that provides real-life outdoor challenges for clients and their families as well as a place of healing for clients, their families, other visitors, and staff. 

Conclusions and Implications: The garden offers exactly what staff and architects had hoped and has offerred even more.  Although not a part of the original thinking, staff celebrations have been held in the garden.  Participants echo that it is an excellent way of connecting with the elements of nature as well as with each other. 

 

Use of a Healing/Therapeutic Garden in a Pediatric Rehabilitation Facility

Background and Context:  In rehabilitation facilities, cures typically do not occur.  Rather the facility provides services that assist clients in achieving their greatest potential and being at peace with whatever that potential may be.  The concept of providing a healing environment is pervasive throughout the facility.  In this vein, when one particular facility was in the planning process for its new Outpatient Center, staff were clear that it needed to include a garden.   

Aim and Objectives:  Through its Healing/Therapy Garden, the facility welcomes those who come to the Outpatient Center by offering a place of respite during treatments and therapies.  Its multiple water fountains, benches, and labyrinth provide a place for meditation and relaxation, and its unique outdoor "therapy rooms" with natural surfaces allow clients to work on their goals while facing real-life challenges. 

Outline and Main Content:  Describes the process used by this facilitate to integrate the elements of healing and therapy to create a garden that provides real-life outdoor challenges for clients and their families as well as a place of healing for clients, their families, other visitors, and staff. 

Conclusions and Implications: The garden offers exactly what staff and architects had hoped.  It has also provided even more.  Although not a part of the original thinking, staff celebrations have been held in the garden.  Participants echo that it is an excellent way of connecting with the elements of nature as well as with each other. 

 

Yoga in Primary Care Yoga has been shown to improve not only the perception of stress but its physiological impact on the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and the immune system. All of which, can over time lead to disease, illness, and potentially death. As a modality of complementary alternative medicine, yoga has few side effects, is low-cost, and can be done most anywhere by anyone regardless of physical abilities or age. It can lower healthcare utilization and hence cost. Yoga also acts as a component of self-care wherein patients can take a more active role in their own health and well-being instead of being an inactive participant with interventions given to them in the way of tests, medications, or therapies. Yoga in Primary Care was developed to offer patients in a primary care setting a holistic stress management self-care technique. Given that yoga means union of body/mind/spirit it seemed the perfect complement to my holistic practice. I started a reward system where patients who began a yoga program were given a journal to record their symptoms and progress. The journal writing enhanced their follow up visits as they were able to share experiences and see evidence of physical/psychological improvement. My future plans include: discounted group rates at a local yoga studio and expanding my reward system.