Leonard, K. E., & Kalman, M. A. (2015). The Meaning of Touch to Patients Undergoing
Chemotherapy. Oncology Nursing Forum, 42(5), 517-526. doi:10.1188/15.ONF.517-526 In this article, Leonard and Kalman evaluate the importance of touch in a healthcare setting for patients diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. Touch is a natural impulse as a means to communicate caring and reassurance (Leonard and Kalman, 2015). This is particularly true in nursing a field in which touch is a foundation of care (Leonard and Kalman, 2015). When people are diagnosed with cancer and given the treatment options, the weight of this information can cause stress and anxiety. Touch becomes an important aspect in their lives that can decrease this anguish.
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When being touched during an uncomfortable procedure by a healthcare provider, it demonstrated that they cared for the patient and were concerned for the patient’s feelings. In turn, the patients felt more comfort and less afraid during the procedure. The participants also reported being able to tell when a touch was not genuine. Some healthcare providers touch was reported as being “cold” and discouraging. Touch from family, friends, and especially the mother was also an important aspect of this study’s findings. Participants noted the change in touch from their family and friends prior to diagnosis of their cancer. Some participants found comfort in the changes and some did not. Many participant’s noted a struggle between craving normalcy and familiarity from loved ones and still wanting to feel love and support. One participant reported not letting his mother touch him when he was gravely ill. Another participant noted that her family, particularly her mother and daughter, began to distance themselves from her after her diagnosis. She also noted that the distance she felt from her mother was especially difficult. Therapeutic touch, such as massages, was also very important to some of the participants. They reported getting massages from loved ones and nurses that helped them feel better when dealing with considerable amounts of