A Practice-Based Theory of Healing Through Therapeutic Touch: Advancing Holistic Nursing Practice.

For nearly 50 years, Therapeutic Touch (TT) has contributed to advancing holistic nursing practice and has been recognized as a uniquely human approach to healing. This narrative explores the development of a practice-based theory of healing through TT, which occurred between 2010 and 2016. Through the in-depth self-inquiry of participatory reflective dialogue in concert with constant narrative analysis, TT practitioners revealed the meaning of healing within the context of their TT practice. As the community of TT experts participated in an iterative process of small group and community dialogues with analysis and synthesis of emerging themes, the assumptions and concepts central to a theory of healing emerged, were clarified and verified. Exemplars of practice illustrate the concepts. A model of the theory of healing illuminates the movement and relationship among concepts and evolved over time. Feedback from nursing and inter-professional practitioners indicate that the theory of healing, while situated within the context of TT, may be useful in advancing holistic nursing practice, informing healing and caring approaches, stimulating research and education, and contributing to future transformations in health care.

Human Energy Field: A Concept Analysis.

The human energy field (HEF) as a phenomenon of interest across disciplines has gained increased attention over the 20th and 21st centuries. However, a concern has arisen that there is a lack of evidence to support the concept of the HEF as a phenomenon of interest to professional nurses and nursing practice. Using Chinn and Kramer's method of creating conceptual meaning, a concept analysis was conducted for the purpose of developing a conceptual definition of HEF. A systematic review of the literature using the CINAHL database yielded a total of 81 articles and text sources that were determined to be relevant to the concept analysis. The HEF is defined as a luminous field of energy that comprises a person, extends beyond the physical body, and is in a continuous mutual process with the environmental energy field. It is a vital energy that is a continuous whole and is recognized by its unique pattern; it is dynamic, creative, nonlinear, unpredictable, and flows in lower and higher frequencies. The balanced HEF is characterized by flow, rhythm, symmetry, and gentle vibration.

Using guided reflection to reduce test anxiety in nursing students.

Test anxiety is a phenomenon that can affect as many as 40% of students. Many nursing students are under great stress from long hours of study, a rigorous curriculum, and balancing work and family life. These stressors can lead to anxiety in many areas of the student's life, most notably in situations where he or she is being evaluated. This article will aim to discuss how the use of guided reflection can help the student actualize his or her feelings about test anxiety by using Johns's Model for Structured Reflection. By using cues from the model and structure provided by a guide, the student will partake in a journey to gain insight about oneself and discover ways to decrease test anxiety that can be incorporated into the student's holistic self-care plan.

Gourmet coffee beverage consumption among college women.

Gourmet coffee beverages (GCBs) are relatively new products in the foodservice industry that consist of high-energy coffee drinks. A descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of consumption of GCBs and their energy and fat contribution to overall dietary intake in college women using a beverage questionnaire and a 3-day food diary. A convenience sample of 165 undergraduate and graduate women attending Simmons College completed a beverage questionnaire, and a subsample of 41 women completed a 3-day food diary. Mean reported GCB consumption was 2.5 times/week for the entire sample and 7 times/week for the food diary subsample. A comparison of GCB consumers and nonconsumers indicated that GCB drinkers had a 206 kcal/day higher intake (P=.250) and a 32 g higher sugar intake than nonconsumers (P<.05). A significant percentage of college women consume GCBs, which contributes additional energy and fat to dietary intake. Over time, this could potentially affect weight status.