Reiki and Nursing

According to continuously upgraded statistics,				Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York. "Reiki
over one-half of all Americans visit				accelerates recovery from surgery, improves
complementary and alternative medical				mental attitude, and reduces the negative effects
practitioners yearly, accounting for fiscal				of medication and other medical procedures."
expenditures in excess of thirty-three billion dollars.				Vega, a Reiki Master, includes Reiki with her
These statistics are rapidly escalating due to:				regular nursing procedures. Patients have asked
~High costs associated with conventional medicine				her to do Reiki on them in the operating and
~Adverse side-effects or resistance to				recovery rooms. She has also been asked to do
prescription drugs				Reiki sessions on cancer patients at Memorial
~Many diseases (fibromyalgia, colitis, irritable bowel				Sloan Kettering Hospital.
syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines				Julie Motz, a Reiki trained healer has worked with
etc.) are precipitated or facilitated by mental and				Mehmet Oz, MD, a noted cardiothoracic surgeon
or emotional stresses				at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New
~Many ailments (AIDS, cancer, arthritis, etc.) have				York. Motz uses Reiki to balance the patient's
not been helped or cured by conventional medical				energy during operations, including open heart
intervention				surgeries and heart transplants. She reports
~Conventional medicine is sophisticated in dealing				decreased post-op depression, pain, leg weakness,
with trauma and some specific diseases, but				and reduced rejection rates.
devotes far less attention to aspects of				Beginning in 1995, initially exclusively within the
"wellness", such as the prevention of "dis-ease", or				Cancer Care Unit, the Tuscan Medical Center
to underlying emotions - how a person feels				began offering Reiki to patients in their rooms.
about their illness.				This offering has now expanded to include many
Complementary methods, such as Reiki, are cost				other areas of the hospital.
effective, help minimize recovery time, require				Patricia Alandydy, an RN and Reiki Master, offers
little technology to implement, and blend easily				Reiki within the Surgical Services Department at
with all other therapies. Reiki can be introduced to				Portsmouth Regional Hospital. Ongoing program
the patient by the nursing staff on all levels,				evaluations have shown patients who received
CRNP, RN, LPN or NA. There are no adverse side				Reiki treatments needed less pain medication, and
effects from treatment, and treatment can be				left the hospital sooner.
implemented at any time or during any stage of				The California Pacific Medical Center Health and
illness.				Healing clinic provides care for acute and chronic
"Dis-ease" is an important messenger, indicating				illness using complementary care including Reiki.
the body's homeostasis needs to be restored.				Mike Cantwell, MD states:"I have found Reiki to be
Reiki fuels the homeostatic mechanisms and				useful in the treatment of acute illnesses such as
assists in the restoration of physical, mental and				musculoskeletal injury/pain, headache, acute
emotional balance. Reiki works to enhance and				infections, and asthma. Reiki is also useful for
accelerate the normal healing processes of the				patients with chronic illnesses, especially those
body and mind. By inducing the relaxation				associated with chronic pain."
response, Reiki encourages integrated functioning				Mary Lee Radka is a Reiki Master and RN who
of the body's healing systems. This deep				has the job classification of Nurse-Healer and
relaxation acts via the autonomic nervous system				teaches Reiki to nurses and hospital staff at the
to lower blood pressure and heart rate, and to				University of Michigan Hospital. She also uses Reiki
relieve tension and anxiety. It also augments the				with most of her patients. She has found Reiki to
ability of the immune system and stimulates the				produce the best results in reducing pain and
brain's production of endorphins, decreasing the				stress, improving circulation and eliminating nerve
perception of pain and creating a state of				blockages.
well-being.				Reiki in Hospice
Reiki enables the recipient to take charge of this				A dying person's final weeks of life can be fraught
process, as the one receiving the treatment				with boredom, frustration, loneliness, depression or
facilitates the power to heal. The body's innate				fear. Reiki provides comfort and well-being, along
"wisdom" chooses how much and where to direct				with deep relaxation and reduction of pain without
the Reiki energy.				sacrificing consciousness. Severe pain, fears and
A study at Sonoma State University, focusing on				anxiety can be managed with less medication,
nurses trained in Reiki 1, concluded that Reiki				leaving the client more alert to deal with the
seemed a natural adjunct to nursing, and could be				emotional issues of closure with loved ones. By
incorporated into every area of nursing care. Reiki				supporting the hospice patient through their
flows whenever patients are touched by their				transition with peace and harmony, Reiki is
caregiver.				compatible with hospice goals. Reiki is gentle,
Reiki can also reduce the incidence of "burn-out"				unobtrusive and under client control. Reiki
and job-related stress. Nurses, caretakers by				communicates depth of caring and connection
nature, tend to place service to others above				without the need to use words. Reiki also assists
taking care of their own needs. "Self-Reiki" is an				the hospice worker to nurture oneself and helps
effective method for centering, calming, balancing,				to deal with emotions that surface while dealing
regaining clarity and focus, as well as increasing				with dying clients.
productivity.				Medicinal Uses that Show Promise
Reiki in Hospitals				Chronic Pain: Arthritis patients who get regular
Since Reiki requires no specific setting or				Reiki treatments often report decreased pain and
preparations, it can be used in all hospital				improved mobility. Researchers are testing Reiki's
environments, and can be incorporated				ability to reduce pain and improve emotional
unobtrusively into patient treatment. It helps				well-being in Fibromyalgia patients.
relieve stress, agitation and pain, as well as aiding				Cancer: Reiki treatments may reduce side
sleep. It promotes release of grief, anger or				effects, like the fatigue and nausea caused by
anxiety, and provides comfort in palliative care. No				chemotherapy and radiation. Once treatments are
adjustment to clothing is necessary, and Reiki				over, Reiki can help restore balance to the body
even flows through casts. It is not dependent				and improve the immune system. One study
upon the consciousness of the patient. Nurses				published in The Journal of Pain and Symptom
report the following shifts with Reiki:				Management reported improved pain control and
~Patients "pink-up"				a better quality of life.
~Hands and feet warm up				HIV/AIDS: In a study of people with HIV/AIDS
~Patients sleep calmly, and for extended periods				who received Reiki 1 training, a 20 minute Reiki
~Less time is needed to calm patients				self-treatment was found to reduce pain and
~Patients have a more positive attitude, and are				anxiety. Reiki may also help by enhancing immune
more cooperative				function and reducing fatigue and insomnia,
~Patients report decreased pain				common side effects of antiviral drugs.
Reiki assists in mobilizing healing resources for				Diabetes: Pamela Miles, a New York based Reiki
recuperation. Reiki can also reduce the dosage and				Master who helped launch Reiki programs at
frequency of pharmacologic intervention. Moments				several area hospitals, has seen many people with
of Reiki "caring-touch", even during routine				diabetes reduce their need for insulin after starting
procedures, increases patient satisfaction, and				Reiki treatment, especially those who practice
helps diminish feelings of institutional impersonality.				self-treatment on a daily basis. Researchers at the
Reiki satisfies the nurse's innate desire to comfort				University of Michigan are studying Reiki's
and nurture.				effectiveness in reducing pain and improving
"Reiki sessions cause patients to heal faster with				cardiovascular risk factors in people with diabetic
less pain" says Marilyn Vega, RN, at the Manhattan				neuropathy.