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Affectional touch in critical care nursing: a descriptive study
1Division of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton 33431.
Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical Care
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Affectional touch in nursing is advocated but infrequent, with observations revealing its limited use and specific characteristics in critical care settings. This study highlights the need for further development of touch theory in nursing practice.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Patient Comfort
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Touch is a fundamental aspect of nursing care.
- Affectional touch is recognized as a valuable comfort measure.
- Limited empirical data exists on the actual use of affectional touch in clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe qualitative and quantitative factors of affectional touch in nursing.
- To observe and record instances of touch and proximity in critical care.
- To analyze the frequency, form, and context of affectional touch.
Main Methods:
- Naturalistic field observation of 30 nurse-patient dyads.
- Data collection in three hospital critical care units.
- Categorization of touch based on form, Weiss' factors, accompaniments, and stimulus.
Main Results:
- Modal frequency of affectional touch was 2 instances per hour (range 0-17).
- Sustained stationary touch was most common; stroking was least frequent.
- Most touch was short, low-intensity, and often accompanied by visual regard and vocalization, with patients showing comfort.
Conclusions:
- Affectional touch, despite advocacy, is infrequently used in critical care nursing.
- Findings provide empirical basis for understanding touch in practice.
- Results inform the development of prescriptive theories for nursing touch.