Is massage a legitimate part of nursing care? A qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: The use of massage therapy has received increased attention in the treatment of chronic pain. However, barriers can hinder its use in nursing care. This study uses a qualitative methodology to explore professionals' experiences regarding touch massage (TM) and identify barriers and facilitators for the implementation of this intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is part of a larger research program aimed at investigating the impact of TM on the experiences of patients with chronic pain hospitalized in two units of an internal medicine rehabilitation ward. Health care professionals (HCPs) were trained either to provide TM or to use of a massage-machine device according to their units. At the end of the trial, two focus groups were conducted with HCPs from each unit who took part in the training and agreed to discuss their experience: 10 caregivers from the TM group and 6 from the machine group. The focus group discussions were tape-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged from thematic content analysis: perceived impact on patients, HCPs' affective and cognitive experiences, patient-professionals relationships, organizational tensions, and conceptual tensions. Overall, the HCPs reported better general outcomes with TM than with the machine. They described positive effects on patients, HCPs, and their relationships. Regarding interventions' implementation, the HCPs reported organizational barriers such as patients' case complexity, work overload, and lack of time. Conceptual barriers such as ambivalence around the legitimacy of TM in nursing care were reported. TM was often described as a pleasure care that was considered a complementary approach and was overlooked despite its perceived benefits. CONCLUSION: Despite the perceived benefits of TM reported by the HCPs, ambivalence arose around the legitimacy of this intervention. This result emphasizes the importance of changing HCPs' attitudes regarding a given intervention to facilitate its implementation.

Impacts of Touch massage on the experience of patients with chronic pain: A protocol for a mixed method study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a major public health problem. It affects the quality of life of many patients and their families and compromises physical and social functioning and psychological well-being. Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly being used as a complement to chronic pain care. One of these interventions is Touch massage (TM) that can provide relaxation, comfort and well-being. In addition to its various physiological functions, TM can be used as a social communication tool. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cluster study with an exploratory qualitative part. Two groups will be considered: the experimental group will benefit from a TM delivered by trained members of care team and the control group will benefit from an intervention of the same duration with a foot massage device. At least 4 sessions will be delivered and spread over two weeks. Sample size calculation showed that 78 participants (39 per group) need to be included. As for the qualitative part, semi-structured interviews will be conducted to investigate the patients' perception of the intervention; focus groups will explore the satisfaction and general perception of the health care teams. EXPECTED RESULTS: Incorporating TM interventions into care planning could bring benefits in supporting patients suffering from chronic pain. TM is expected to increase the patients' feelings that their pain is seriously considered; physical and psychological support should help improve their sense of comfort and well-being and hence their quality of life. This practice might thus improve the caregiver-patient relationship with TM as a providing a new means of establishing communication through touch. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04295603, Registered on March 4, 2020.