31st Annual Conference—Research Posters

BACKGROUND: Nursing research has explored creative movement as a mode of expression with select groups, especially middle aged women (Picard, 2000). Newman describes movement as the fullest expression of consciousness (Newman 1994). As we intentionally dwell in the body, journeying deeper within through movement and rhythm, we are strengthening our ability to listen more closely to the messages of our bodies~ to our Inner Wisdom and expanded consciousness. This study looks at belly dance as a mode of creative expression and pathway to health as expanding consciousness. Belly dance has a long tradition as a “sacred women’s dance”. The specific movements of belly dance can be expressed as improvised solo, or as part of a group creative process. AIM: Can belly dance be a vehicle for health as expanding consciousness in women? DESCRIPTION and EVALUATION: The New England Belly Dance Survey (2006) was conducted by this author as part of her doctoral studies, to gather information on belly dance as a body-based spiritual practice. 95 belly dancers completed the survey. This study revisits the section of the survey that inquired about women’s 1) reasons for beginning to belly dance. and 2) reasons for continuing to belly dance. Women indicated that they began belly dancing for expected benefits such as exercise, skill development and liking the music. However, the process of participating in belly dance unveiled other, unanticipated benefits related to social connectedness, community-building, personal growth and transformation. CONCLUSIONS: Belly dance has the potential to be a vehicle for health as expanding consciousness.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: A Phenomenological Inquiry Background: Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of major depression affecting up to 10.5% of people living in areas where daylight is limited. The cause of SAD is attributed to the lack of light. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore and document the lived experience of SAD. Evaluation: Twelve adults with SAD ranging in age from 23 to 72 engaged in individual recorded conversations with the researcher. Guided by the phenomenological method described by van Manen, recordings were transcribed, reviewed, and confirmed with the participants, and then analyzed for meaning. Themes were uncovered, described, and explored utilizing the words of the participants, along with insight cultivators such as literature, poetry, and music. Results: Three major themes; light seeking, autumn apprehension, and longing for validation of SAD as a legitimate disorder, emerged. Secondary themes of social withdrawal and disruption of energy were also described. Coping mechanisms identified indicated that resilience theory may be an appropriate framework to identify and to support creative ways of dealing with SAD. Conclusions: This hermeneutic-phenomenological approach offers the insider’s view of SAD and gives participants and nursing professionals the opportunity to become more empathetically engaged. Nurses may use the information gained in this study to co-create and to provide appropriate, compassionate, and holistic care for those with SAD. In addition to identifying the themes that are relevant to SAD, the study identified several areas for potential future investigations of issues surrounding the disorder.

Background and Context: Spiritual care has the potential to improve clients’ health. Since clients desire spiritual care from their health care providers as they age or health worsens, geriatric nurse practitioners (GNPs) were chosen to participate in this study.

Aim/Objective: This cross-sectional, descriptive design investigates the relationships and differences of practicing GNP’s spiritual perspectives (SPs) with their ability to assess clients’ spiritual care needs (SCN) and provide specific spiritual care interventions (SCI).

Outline of Main Content: Practicing GNPs were surveyed using Reed’s Spiritual Perspectives Scale and two new tools developed for this research: VSAT (assessment of spiritual needs) and VSCIT (provision of spiritual care interventions). Content validity was completed and internal reliability scores ranged from 0.89 to 0.93. This research was based on Newman’s Theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness and the spirituality/spiritual care literature. This included expanding consciousness through reflective practice (GNP) and pattern recognition (GNP and client) within relationships/connections and energy exchange.

Conclusions/Implications: Findings indicated GNPs SPs are moderate, influenced by religion and ethnicity/race. No relationships were found between SP and the VSAT. A relationship was found between SPs and one VSCIT subscale. Significant differences were found with being female, receiving graduate education on spiritual care and further education on spirituality/spiritual care. This increased the frequency of assessing SCNs and providing SCIs to clients. Implications point to the importance of spiritual care education in graduate curriculum and providing practicing GNPs with educational opportunities on the same. This may increase spiritual self awareness and spiritual care skills for use in practice.

Title of Research Project: The Lived Experience of Being Healed Through Prayer Among Adults Active in a Christian Church. Background and Context: Qualitative research study of 20 adults (two males and 18 females) from 23 to 84 years of age from three Protestant churches and their lived experience of healing through prayer.Interviewed and data analyzed through Colaizzi method. Theoretical framework: Jean Watson and Caring Science. Aim and Objectives: identify common themes and subthemes of lived experience of healing through prayer; determine if participants experienced spiritual transformation. Outline of Main Content: Participants were interviewed and audio-taped for up to two hours using a ten-question, semi-structured interview guide with one primary question: “Would you tell me you story of your experience of being healed through prayer?" Other questions discussed the nature of prayer practices, meaning of prayer, issue of unanswered prayer, and other prayer and healing experiences. Individual themes were grouped into clustered themes and sub-themes as follows: 1) spirituality and suffering (sub-themes of purpose in suffering and spiritual meaning of suffering); 2) the healing experience (sub-themes of problems that were healed, incomplete healings or recurrences, and healings of friends and family); 3) the connecting network of God (sub-themes of connection to God, connection to others, meaning of prayer, methods of prayer, and unanswered prayer); 4) spiritual transformation of prayer (sub-themes of changed lives and sense of purpose); and 5) spiritual phenomena (sub-themes of sense of God’s presence, use of complementary and alternative medicine, and mysterious phenomena). Seventeen of the 20 participants experienced spiritual transformation (i.e., alteration of life purpose, meaning or relationship to God and others). Conclusion: The essence of the lived experience of being healed through prayer is two-fold: the participants experienced being in the presence of Sacred Mystery and experienced spiritually transformative journeys. Meaningful participant comments are presented.

Telephonic Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and impact on nurse health, well-being, and workplace outcomes. Background and Context: Stress and burnout may lead to poor health and high nurse voluntary turnover. This evidence-based intervention offered facilitated meditation, yoga, and training on other relaxation methods to calm the mind and the body. Aim/Objectives: Determine whether tMBSR may be a valuable self-management tool for nurses to reduce stress, burnout, and improve well-being. While previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of traditional in-person Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions on burnout and well-being in nurses, there has been minimal research on other delivery methods. This project tested the impact of an innovative new blended at-work format that incorporated weekly telephonic sessions (tMBSR) on the health and well-being of nursing health care professionals employed by a large health care organization. Description and Evaluation: A two-group pre-post design was used that examined within group differences in nurses receiving the tMBSR intervention (N=40), as well as between group differences between those nurses and a comparison group of nurses (N=14) who did not receive the intervention. Baseline (Time 1) health, stress, burnout, workplace productivity, and other well-being measures were included, followed by the same measures following the 8 week intervention period (Time 2). Members of the intervention group also completed an additional measure 4 months after the conclusion of the tMBSR program (Time 3). Among the tMBSR program participants, statistically significant improvements between Time 1 and Time 2 were observed on key outcomes of interest. The participants showed improvement in general health, t(37) = 2.8, p<.01, decreased stress, t(37) = 6.8, p<.001, decreased personal burnout, t(37) = 6.1, p<.001, work burnout, t(37) = 4.0, p<.001, and client burnout, t(35) = 2.4, p<.05, decreased presenteeism, t (37) = 2.6, p<.05, and improvement on several other areas of well-being. The improvements observed at Time 2 were sustained 4 months later at Time 3. Conclusions and Implications: These findings suggest that the telephonic delivery of MBSR is a feasible intervention that shows positive impact on the health, wellbeing, and workplace outcomes of health care professionals and also has implications for delivering MBSR to other populations, including telecommuters, patients in rural areas, or to people who are otherwise unable to access on-site care.

The Effect of Lavender in Reducing Anxiety in the Pre-cardiac Catheterization or Pre-peripheral Catheterization Patient: A Pilot Study.

Background and Context: Reducing a patient’s anxiety prior to a procedure is a standard nursing responsibility. The experience of facing a cardiac or peripheral catheterization procedure for the first time may produce anxiety. Education, anxiolytic medications and emotional support are typical of the customary methods employed by nursing to lessen this concern. Previous studies have reported that the aroma from the essential oil lavendula angustifolia (lavender) has been effective in reducing anxiety.

Aim/Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of lavender aromatherapy on reported anxiety by the patient prior to undergoing an elective first time cardiac or peripheral catheterization in the inpatient or outpatient settings as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

Description and Evaluation: A pre-test/post test single blinded experimental design using two groups was used. Ten subjects were randomized into either the treatment or control group. The assigned aromatherapy was administered to each subject. Blood pressure and radial pulse were measured and the state anxiety component of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics, repeated measures and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data.

Conclusion and Implication: Lavender did reduce reported anxiety in the pre-cardiac and pre-peripheral catheterization patient. The use of lavender aromatherapy may be an appropriate method to reduce anxiety in this population. Further research with a larger sample size is indicated.

The Effects of Self-Massage On Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized, Controlled Trial Background: Massage has been documented as an effective intervention for various musculoskeletal conditions; however, self-massage as a therapeutic intervention for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee has not been previously investigated. Objective: This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a self-massage intervention applied to the quadriceps muscle on reported pain, stiffness, physical function and knee range of motion. Methods: Of the 42 adults with doctor-diagnosed knee OA, 40 were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n=21) or a control (delayed intervention or wait-list) (n=19) group. The participants applied the narrated 20-minute self-massage therapy, twice weekly, during 10 supervised, and 3 unsupervised intervention sessions. The control group had 4 assessment sessions. Outcome measures consisted of the Western Ontario and McMaster's Osteoarthritis Index™ (WOMAC), and active range of motion. Data were collected at baseline, twice per week for eight weeks and at follow-up on the twelfth week. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in twelve week follow-up post-intervention for: pain (p<.001), joint stiffness (p<.001), physical functioning (p<.001), global WOMAC (p<.001), right flexion (p<.001), left flexion (p<.001), both flexion (p<.001), right extension (p<.001), left extension (p<.001), and both extension (p<.001). All changes for the treatment group were statistically-significantly changes relative to baseline. For the control group there were no statistically-significant changes relative to baseline. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that participants who have OA of the knee may benefit from the self-massage intervention therapy and consistent self-massage therapy may equate to more improved results. Further studies are needed to clarify the long-term effects of self-massage.

-Title of Research Project: The Nurse Mainfest Project: An Emerging Story of Nurses' Practice -Background and Context: In 2003, the grassroots Nurse Manifest project performed a research study to determine what nurses' workplace experiences were like. The general purposes of this study were to 1) elicit significant stories that reveal what it is like to practice nursing today, and 2) to awaken an emancipatory response that can shape the future of nursing. -Aim and Objectives: The specific research purposes were to: 1. Explore nurses perceptions of the circumstances of their work life through stories that reveal deep meanings concerning the practice of nursing in today’s context; and 2. Describe the processes by which nurses conceive of and create change in these circumstances. -Description and Evaluation: Using Rogerain Narrative Analysis, results of the study included art work, stories, and poems. To be presented at this presentation would by the story entitled Nurse #65X89. -Conclusions and Implications: The research concludes that nurses must be empowered to create change, and self care is the key to doing so. Though the research was performed several years ago, the emerging story and reflected pattern remain relevant for nurses today.

Using Healing Touch in Non-Community Dwelling Older Adults with Pain: A Feasibility Study

Background and Context: Persistent pain is under treated in non-community dwelling older adults; and negatively impacts functional status and quality of life. Because medications may cause adverse events, biofield therapies may be beneficial for pain management.

Aim and Objectives: To determine various aspects of feasibility when using a Healing Touch (HT) intervention with non-community dwelling older adults experiencing persistent pain; and to determine an appropriate HT protocol.

Outline of Main Content: A quasi-experimental design was used to collect data at multiple time points. Participants were assigned to the HT or Presence Care (PC) group. The outcome variables were pain (Verbal Descriptor Scale, Pain Assessment Tool in Cognitively Impaired Elders), activities of daily living (Katz Index), and quality of life (The Health Related Quality of Life). Twenty (62.5%) of the 32 residents eligible to participate in the study were enrolled. There were no significant differences over time between the PC and HT groups in their change in pain scores and activities of daily living. The HT group showed an increase in their activities of daily living score over time, meaning more independent than the PC group. Quality of Life decreased for the HT group and improved for the PC group (not significant). The practitioners completed all of the HT sessions.

Conclusions and Implications: It was possible to recruit participants for an integrative approach to pain management. Both groups showed some improvement in their pain scores with other measures being variable. The findings confirm the complex nature of pain in older adults and support the need for further study.