Using therapeutic touch in nursing practice

This article is an introduction to "therapeutic touch" and its implications for nursing. A case study provides an example of how therapeutic touch was used with an individual who fell from a ladder and injured his elbow. A brief history and assumptions that support the practice of therapeutic touch are discussed. Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings, a nursing theory, provides a theoretical basis for therapeutic touch. The method developed by Kunz and Krieger involves four phases and each of these is identified and described. General uses for therapeutic touch are presented and a variety of research studies validate the practice of therapeutic touch in nursing. Resources are provided for those who may be interested in learning more about therapeutic touch.