EFFECTS OF TOUCH ON SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS

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Abstract
To investigate the effects of touch as nonverbal communication on seriously ill patients, 60 seriously ill patients between the ages of 20 and 64, hospitalized on general medical and surgical units in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, were assigned to experimental and control groups (30 each). Experimental group subjects were touched while verbalizing with the investigator; control group subjects were not. Three structured questions were asked of all patients. Responses to the verbalization and touching were measured by four instruments: 1) The Interaction Behavior Worksheet included four major categories of behavior —“facial expressions,” “body movements,” “eye contact,” and “general response of the patient,” — and two other factors—“general eye contact determined by the investigator” and “length of the verbalization.” 2) The Bales' Interaction Process Analysis was used to categorize the subject's verbal responses; the verbal exchange between the investigator and patient was tape recorded. 3) The postinteraction questionnaire was used by one of two observers to ask the patient four specific questions in order to determine the patient's perception of comfort and interest the nurse extended after the interaction was completed. 4) Electrocardiographic changes of the patients on cardiac monitors were used to determine changes in the patient's heart rate and rhythm. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov two sample test was applied to the control and experimental responses to determine statistically significant differences between the positive, neutral, and‘ negative categories. Results of this study demonstrated that the nurse can establish a rapport with a seriously ill patient within a short period of time. The findings support the use of touch for indicating to seriously ill patients that the nurse cares about the patient.

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