{"title":"A Unitary Theory of Healing Through Touch.","authors":"Marlaine C Smith, Sean M Reed","doi":"10.1097/ANS.0000000000000487","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Touch has been linked empirically to healing outcomes; therefore, developing theories about the dynamics between touch and healing is important for nursing. A practice-based theory is described within a Unitary Science perspective emerging from the findings of a qualitative descriptive study of the experiences of persons with advanced cancer receiving touch (massage and simple touch) during hospice care. Seventeen participants were interviewed. Through content analysis and retroductive constructivist theory development, healing through touch was described as a dynamic process cocreated by healer and healee, characterized by the simultaneous activities of sensing , reflecting , and connecting . Interpretation of findings from a unitary lens led to an overarching theme of touch as sanctuary and explication of theoretical alignment with the concepts of wholeness, awareness, and presence.</p>","PeriodicalId":50857,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Nursing Science","volume":"46 2","pages":"219-232"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2023-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10159877/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Advances in Nursing Science","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/ANS.0000000000000487","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/2/6 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"NURSING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Touch has been linked empirically to healing outcomes; therefore, developing theories about the dynamics between touch and healing is important for nursing. A practice-based theory is described within a Unitary Science perspective emerging from the findings of a qualitative descriptive study of the experiences of persons with advanced cancer receiving touch (massage and simple touch) during hospice care. Seventeen participants were interviewed. Through content analysis and retroductive constructivist theory development, healing through touch was described as a dynamic process cocreated by healer and healee, characterized by the simultaneous activities of sensing , reflecting , and connecting . Interpretation of findings from a unitary lens led to an overarching theme of touch as sanctuary and explication of theoretical alignment with the concepts of wholeness, awareness, and presence.
期刊介绍:
Consistently ranked as one of the most-read and most assigned journals by faculties of graduate programs in nursing, Advances in Nursing Science (ANS) is intellectually challenging, innovative and progressive, and features articles from a wide range of scholarly traditions. The journal particularly encourages works that speak to the need for global sustainability and that take an intersectional approach, recognizing class, color, sexual and gender identity, and other dimensions of human experience related to health. Articles in ANS are peer-reviewed and chosen for their pioneering perspectives and for their significance in contributing the evolution of the discipline of nursing.