Understanding Bodywork for the Patient With Cancer

Abstract

The goal of this article is to increase oncology nurses' understanding of common bodywork modalities and the current research about them in the oncology setting. Bodywork is a broad term that incorporates massage and energy modalities. Eleven modalities are described. In addition, issues related to safety, licensure, making referrals, and nurses' and bodyworkers' roles are discussed. Better knowledge will increase oncology nurses' abilities to assess and guide patients' bodywork choices and facilitate discussions with patients, physicians, and bodyworkers to ensure that patients with cancer are receiving safe and effective care.

Bodywork and nursing practice: Development of a bodywork in nursing practice instrument

“…Four additional clusters were identified (Table 4). 59 The results of the study could provide an opportunity to describe nursing bodywork and acknowledge the specifics of some of the many nurses perform, chiefly but not exclusively, in health care settings.…”

“…None were identified. Most citations addressed body part manipulation, massage, and complementary therapies, such as bodywork for patients with cancer 59 …”

Bodywork in dementia care: recognising the commonalities of selfhood to facilitate respectful care in institutional settings

“…Different professions engage in different types of bodywork, with some being viewed as essentially therapeutic rather than to achieve an outcome such as cleanliness. For example, Coe and Anthony (2005) discuss the use of therapeutic massage and complementary medicine for people with cancer and report on empirical findings of benefits, contraindications or risks to the patient with this type of bodywork. Hogg and Warne (2010) discuss how non-medical workers ( i.e.…”