Once a week Schilling provides a light, 15-minute hand massage to patients in a free Caring Hands service, part of Franciscan Skemp's healing enhancements program to reduce stress and anxiety.
"Hand massage helps you relax and takes your pain down," said Schilling, now a volunteer after retiring from Franciscan Skemp after 26 years in patient financial services.
"One lady told me, 'I wish you had been here sooner, my pain would be much less,'" she said. "For a lot of patients, they like the individual attention and it gives them a chance to talk to someone, so they don't think about their pain and anxiety."
Schilling has been a volunteer for Caring Hands since the program began in late November. She is one of 23 trained volunteers. Franciscan Skemp will offer the first of three training sessions for volunteers, starting Monday, May 3.
"Besides relaxation and reduced stress and anxiety, the volunteer is showing that someone cares," Schilling said. "I give the gift of my presence."
She said she also gives hand massages to caregivers and nurses. "They're under a lot of stress, too," Schilling said.
Caring Hands has been a successful volunteer program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., according to Judy Aufenthie, a Franciscan Skemp life coach who started the program at Franciscan Skemp.
"It's a resource for patients to relax in a stressful environment," Aufenthie said. "It's rewarding for the volunteers, too. It's a win-win situation for everyone, and the nursing staff loves it."
Elaine George, director of Franciscan Skemp volunteer services, said the volunteers like the work and feel they are doing something to help patients feel better.
"They like the contact with patients, and what they do shows their caring," George said.
Caring Hands is available to patients on the third-floor surgical unit and will be expanded in the future to the seventh-floor medical unit. Aufenthie said she would like to bring healing touch therapies and aromatherapy to all hospitalized patients.
A survey of 147 patients getting hand massages has shown that stress and anxiety scores have been been cut in half and even pain has been reduced by more than 25 percent.
Anne Paremski, Franciscan Skemp's director of patient care nursing, said patients love the hand massage. "It feels great, and it's very relaxing," Paremski said. "It is also appreciated by the staff."
She said hand massage has helped patients sleep after a sleepless night.
"You're in the room with a patient, and you make them feel better," Schilling said. "Patients are so thankful for this, and you leave feeling you made a difference."
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Copyright (c) 2010, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
© YellowBrix, Inc. Copyright 1997-2009 Why Hand Massages are Good for Patients and CaregiversOriginally from: http://www.nursinglink.monster.com/news/articles/12292-why-hand-massages-are-good-for-patients-and-caregivers
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