These nurses, however well intentioned, should not perform unproven therapies “” if these are unproven; opinions differ passionately “” on unwitting patients. To do so is to tell a kind of lie to patients, who reasonably assume that their care meets hospital standards. And while the placebo effect can be beneficial, that is insufficient reason to routinely deprive patients of pertinent facts. Patients cannot give informed consent if they lack honest information about their treatment.
(via Dr. RW)
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{ 2 comments }
Any time the word ‘energy’ is used by the altie crowd just ask this: what units of measure (erg, joule, foot-pounds, BTU, etc.) are being used to describe such energies.
If by their own definition the thing described cannot be measured by any means, then the burden of proof is on them to otherwise support that such ‘energy’ exists.
They are practicing shamanism. However, since they are claiming efficacy and doing this under the roof of a hospital, they risk sanctions for the hospital, their professional license, and their jobs. Better to leave the witchcraft to the specialists rather than dabble in things outside the nursing field.
This is much ado about nothing here. I’m an ICU nurse and we use soothing touch all the time. Why? Because it’s soothing to the patient. I certainly don’t claim that I am “healing an energy disturbance” and have never met a fellow nurse that would make that claim to his/her patients.
Randy Cohen’s purpose is to write columns that catches the readers attention and sells copies of the New York Times. Let’s not be fooled into thinking that this is some sort accurate account of what nurses are actually doing.
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