Patient Services Suprise

[Starthinker]

I recently had to stay overnight in Mercy Hospital here in Mason City. While checking in I browsed through a patient services book and found that along with "a hand massage to help calm a patient before surgery" and various "clergy available for consultation" I also saw "Therapeutic Touch Massage is available to help ease pain and speed recovery." Yes, this is a well-respected, much awarded hospital and the largest employer in the county. When I got home I penned a letter to Mercy which wasn't easy as there are no e-mail addresses available on their website (www.mercynorthiowa.com) and their questions and comments form only allows 512 characters. I asked what is the hospitals official position on Therapeutic Touch and if they could cite any studies that show that it eases pain and speeds recovery. I have yet to hear back from them, if they will reply at all.

If I do get a reply, I have some follow up questions such as, are the practitioners paid staff, and how often to they perform this act, er, service for patients?

I can understand a hospital offering visits from priests and such for consultation, but Therapeutic Touch Massages? What's next? Crystal Therapy? Visits from Princes Di via a medium?

[Blue Wode]

this is a well-respected, much awarded hospital and the largest employer in the county.

-snip-

I can understand a hospital offering visits from priests and such for consultation, but Therapeutic Touch Massages? What's next? Crystal Therapy? Visits from Princes Di via a medium?


We seem to be going the same way here in the UK where energy therapists and spiritual healers have been creeping into our NHS. Some examples:

Angie Buxton-King
http://www.angiebuxton-king.com/html/publications.html

Graham King
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/09/28/insideout_healing_feature.shtml

Ruth Kaye - mother of tabloid astrologer Jonathan Cainer (who apparently continues to ‘converse’ with his late wife)
http://www.ruthkayehealer.co.uk/

Then there’s this ‘shaman’ couple who don’t appear to be too woo-ish...

Their work for the past 11 years within the NHS, using Acupuncture, Shiatsu and Deep Relaxation Techniques, has been a pioneering effort to bring together the allopathic and the complementary as one body - working for the health and well-being of all. Their specific areas of expertise are in addiction and mental health.

http://shamanicwarrior.com/about/index.html



….until you read about the courses they run:
http://shamanicwarrior.com/journeycircles/index.html

Their ‘Introduction to Shamanism' course seems to offer the best value for money with the promise of the following departures from the real world…


Journeying to the beat of the drum into non-ordinary realities
Journeying into the Shamanic Lower World to meet a Power Animal
Journeying to the Shamanic Upper World to meet a Spirit Guide

(No previous experience necessary)

Although their advanced course, which is open to those with “good shamanic journeying skills”, leaves you to "find your own Totem Animal and Totem Faery Cousin”...
http://shamanicwarrior.com/courses/shamantraining2.html


I penned a letter to Mercy

-snip-

I asked what is the hospitals official position on Therapeutic Touch and if they could cite any studies that show that it eases pain and speeds recovery. I have yet to hear back from them, if they will reply at all.


Please let us know if you get a reply.

[ShowerComic]

There is a James Randi video on it, says there are 80,000 TT practicioners in the US. "Every Major Nurses association in the US has endorced TT" - James Randi ..

Video on YouTube (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3768245436661903867&q=James+Randi+Touch&total=9&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1)

Randi -"Some people pay for it without even knowing about it" ex: Coma Victims in some hospitals.

[Puppycow]

I want to be a Therapeutic Touch teleworker. Just send me money and I'll send out healing energies to wherever you are. ;)