The Effects of Healing Touch on Post Operative Pediatric Patients

Summary

The goal of this study is to assess the benefits of Healing Touch, an energy based therapy on post-operative discomfort and the rate of recovery in children. The aims of this study are to measure the effect of Healing Touch on post-operative: 1) anxiety, 2) emergence agitation/ emergence delirium (EAD), 3) pain, 4) time to wake-up, 5) time to meet PACU's departure criteria, 6.) maladaptive behaviors 2 weeks following surgery \& 7)readmissions for complications 2 weeks following surgery.

This is a triple blinded randomized controlled trial with three parallel groups. 240 subjects, ages 3 or 4 will be randomly assigned to receive the usual post-operative care, the usual care plus a post-operative Healing Touch treatment, or the usual post-operative care plus a sham Healing Touch treatment done by an untrained research assistant. The participants \& parents, the evaluators, and the principle investigator will be blinded to study group assignment.

Conditions

• Surgery
• Stress
• Pain
• Children
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Healing Touch

When enter PACU + usual standard of care. The Healing Touch practitioner will be at the bedside when the patient is first brought to the PACU. The HT practitioner will center and then attune with the child, connecting their energy with the child and setting the intention for healing for the child's highest good. The practitioner will then place one hand on the center of the patient's chest in the "high heart" area. The practitioner will hold this position until they feel a deep connection and "quieting" within the patient's energy. When the patient is awake and parents have been called to the bedside the HT practitioner will energetically ground and release the patient,

PROCEDURE

Healing Touch Sham Treatment

The untrained in energy work study staff will be at the bedside when the patient is first brought to the PACU. The practitioner will then place one hand on the center of the patient's chest in the "high heart" area. This will continue until parents are called to the bedside

Sponsors & Collaborators

• American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA)

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Carolyn Stoll Research Fund (Cincinnati Childrens Hospital)

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Wendy Grace K Rolf, MSN CHTP AHN · Cincinnati Childrens

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

3 Years

Max Age

4 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2013-09-30

Primary Completion

2017-06-30

Completion

2017-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations