Transcript Get Document - American Massage Therapy Association

Hospital Based Massage Therapy – Dale Healey
Dale Healey DC
•
•
•
•
•
Canadian
Chiropractor
Massage Therapy Educator
University of Minnesota PhD student
Dean, School of Massage Therapy at
Northwestern Health Sciences University
• Serve on Best Practices Committee of the MTF
• Serve as COMTA site team evaluator
Northwestern Health Sciences University
• Located in Bloomington, Minnesota
• Began as Chiropractic College in 1941
• School of Massage Therapy and Minnesota
College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
added in 2000
• Strong focus on integration of CAM services within
CAM as well as with the allopathic community.
• Mission: The mission of Northwestern Health
Sciences University is to advance and promote
natural approaches to health through education,
research, clinical services and community
involvement.
The Vision of Northwestern Health Sciences
University
Our vision is to be the University of Choice for natural
and integrative health care. We promote
conservative health care approaches that focus on
the whole person. We provide leadership to
develop collaborative and integrative health care
models, support clinical research, prepare students
for successful careers, encourage lifelong learning
and service to our community.
Objectives for this session
1. Define HBMT – understanding what it is and what
it is not
2. Articulate trends surrounding MT in the hospital
environment
3. Discuss benefits of massage therapy to the
hospital patient
4. List steps toward becoming a hospital based
massage therapist.
5. Identify challenges involved in becoming a
hospital based massage therapist.
6. Develop strategies to overcome those challenges.
What is Hospital-Based Massage Therapy?
• Hospital-Based Massage Therapy is Massage
Therapy that is based in a hospital setting
• Put another way: Massage Therapy that takes
place in a hospital setting
• Massage Therapy that happens in a hospital.
• HBMT is defined ONLY by its location (simple
definition).
• Focus of Hospital-Based Massage Class is on
competencies associated with working in the
hospital environment.
These are not your typical massage therapy
practice clients
Massage
Therapy Clinic
• Clients
• Relatively
Healthy
• Contraindications are
rare
Hospital
• Patients
• Often very sick and
perhaps dying
• Contraindications
are common
These is not your typical massage therapy
practice setting
Massage therapy
clinic setting
Hospital
• Dim or at least
controllable lighting
• Bright lighting –
may or may be
controllable
• Massage table
• Private, controlled
environment
• Scheduling: regular,
predicable
• Hospital Bed
• Interruptions
common
• Schedule random
and even chaotic
Hospital Based Massage Therapy Practice is
NOT for everyone!
•
•
•
•
Unpredictable and sometimes volatile environment
Strong interpersonal skills essential
Personal sense of resilience required
In many ways the environment is opposite to the
environments many therapists seek.
What Hospital-Based Massage Therapy is Not
• Not something your “Pathology” class prepared
you for
• Not “Medical Massage”
• A massage “technique”
• Hospital is a highly clinical environment but there is
not a strong clinical focus required of massage
therapists in the hospital.
• At least for now, the emphasis in most hospital
settings is on massage therapy affecting the areas
we are best known for and for which there is the
most evidence (i.e. reduction in stress, anxiety,
general pain and depressive symptoms).
Historical Considerations
• Dr. Johann Mezger – 1839-1909
• A physician credited with bringing massage to
the scientific community.
• Presented massage to fellow physicians as a
form of medical treatment and physical
rehabilitation.
• Popularity in the medical community grew and
early research bolstered support for the
emerging field.
Nursing and Massage Therapy
• Massage was part of the curriculum for nurses since
the mid 1800’s
• Physical therapists used massage therapy as
treatment for certain medical conditions
• Nurses used it mostly for comfort.
• Were perhaps unaware of the physiological benefits
American Journal of Nursing
Helen Bartlett was an Instructor in Massage at Johns
Hopkins Hospital Training School for Nurses.
“Mechano-therapy, in exact definition massage and medical
gymnastics, is a method of healing existent in some form
during all history. In approximately the last decade it has
undergone radical revision, and through a perhaps
exceptionally slow evolution has reached a definite status. It
is, in brief, a department of the science of medicine,
circumscribed, indeed, but of distinct and acknowledged value.
The practice of mechano-therapy, no longer, as in earlier
struggles for recognition, performed of necessity by the
physician himself, is controlled now by him, but assigned to an
assistant.”
Bartlett, Helen Conkling, The Teaching of Massage to Pupils in Hospital Training-Schools, The American
Journal of Nursing, Vol. 1, No. 10 (Jul., 1901), pp. 718-721
American Journal of Nursing
“There continues, of course, much general ignorance and distrust
of a therapeutic measure for long almost given over to
quackery, and the present work, certainly in America, of both
teachers and practitioners, is in many ways still that of a
pioneer”
3 qualifications for massage specialists:
1.
2.
3.
“A good touch in massage”
“Sufficient theoretical knowledge to detect abnormal
conditions and to distinguish between serious and less
serious symptoms.”
“An infinite fund of resources which can only be the result of
individual experiences; essential alike for normal changes
and the emergencies of practice.”
Bartlett, Helen Conkling, The Teaching of Massage to Pupils in Hospital Training-Schools, The American
Journal of Nursing, Vol. 1, No. 10 (Jul., 1901), pp. 718-721
American Journal of Nursing
Helene Biermann, RN was an instructor of massage
therapy at the Graduate Training School at the
German Hospital, New York
“Massage should never be given except on a physician’s
orders. When employed as a treatment after injuries
and diseases, it should be in the hands of a person
who not only possesses the necessary technical skill
acquired by painstaking toil in massage, but who has
also a thorough knowledge of the movement cure, and
understands the nature and course of the disease as
well.”
Biermann, Helene; Notes on Massage, The American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 7, No. 7
(Apr., 1907), pp. 534-538
American Journal of Nursing
“The result [of massage] is usually delightful, sedative
and tonic. During massage treatment most patients
are in a state of repose. Generally those who relax to
their treatment enjoy it and feel gloriously indifferent,
and needless apprehensions are dispelled. But
without the sympathetic touch the [massage therapist]
may fail to cause these desirable results and produce,
instead, quite opposite effects. The sympathetic touch
is inborn and cannot be taught nor explained. It can
be improved, but it cannot be acquired if it is not there.
It is a mystery.”
Churchill, Anna Quincy, Massage, Its Physiological Effects The American Journal of
Nursing, Vol. 15, No. 8 (May, 1915), pp. 635-640
What Happened???
4 main factors to blame
1. Increase in patient load due to nursing shortages
2. The requirement for additional documentation by
governmental regulators
3. New methods of billing demanded by insurance
carriers
4. The growth of medical technology and drugs over
hands-on methods of care.
MacDonald, Gayle (2005), Massage for the Hospital Patient and Medically Frail Client.
Baltimore: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
But the pendulum is swinging back
There is a recognition of the high-tech, specialized,
fragmented nature of care in the hospital and that
hands-on human touch can provide a sense of
wholeness.
Skyrocketing healthcare costs, including
pharmaceuticals and hospitalization have folks
scrambling and more open to looking to CAM as a part
of the solution.
Awareness of CAM and openness to it growing –
NCCAM, NARCCIM, CAHCIM
CAM education included in medical school training
General Employment and
Economic Trends in Health Care
and the Hospital Environment
Total Prescription Drug Spending, 1980 –
2007(1)
$240
$200
Billions
$160
$120
$80
$40
Inflation Adjusted(2)
$0
80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary. Data released January 6, 2009.
(1)
CMS completed a benchmark revision in 2006, introducing changes in methods, definitions and source data that are
applied to the entire time series (back to 1960). For more information on this revision, see
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/benchmark.pdf.
(2)
Expressed in 1980 dollars; adjusted using the overall Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
National Health Expenditures(1),
1980 – 2018(2)
$4,500
$4,000
$3,500
Billions
$3,000
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$0
80 90 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary. Data released February 23, 2009.
(1)
Years 2008 – 2018 are projections.
(2)
CMS completed a benchmark revision in 2006, introducing changes in methods, definitions and source data that are
applied to the entire time series (back to 1960). For more information on this revision, see
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/benchmark.pdf.
National Supply and Demand Projections
for RNs,2000 – 2020
2,900
RN FTE Demand
FTEs (Thousands)
2,700
2,500
Shortage of
over 1,000,000
nurses in 2020
2,300
2,100
1,900
1,700
RN FTE Supply
1,500
2000
2005
2010
2015
Source: National Center For Health Workforce Analysis, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services
Administration. (2004). What Is Behind HRSA’s Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortage of Registered Nurses? Link:
ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/workforce/behindshortage.pdf.
2020
Millions
Number of Hospital Employees, 1993 – 2007
5.3
5.2
5.1
5.0
4.9
4.8
4.7
4.6
4.5
4.4
4.3
4.2
4.1
4.0
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
Source: Avalere Health analysis of American Hospital Association Annual Survey data, 2007, for community hospitals.
05
06
07
Hospital Employment vs. Employment in
Other Industries, 2008(1)
Thousands of Employees
6,000
4,500
3,000
1,500
0
Full-service
Restaurants
General
Medical &
Surgical
Hospitals
Limited-service Employment
Eating Places
Services
Grocery
Stores
Offices of
Physicians
Building
Equipment
Contractors
Department
Stores
Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (CES) Survey, customized tables. Data released 2009.
Link: http://www.bls.gov/ces.
(1)
2008 figures reflect annual projections.
Average Weekly Earnings of Workers,
Hospitals(1) vs. All Service-providing
Industries, 1990 – 2007
$900
Average Weekly Earnings
$800
Hospitals
$700
$600
$500
$400
All Service-providing
Industries
$300
$200
$100
$0
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (CES) Survey, customized tables. Data released 2009.
Link: http://www.bls.gov/ces.
Percent Change in Employment
Hospital vs. All Industries, 06 – 08
Hospitals
All Industries (Total Non-farm)
Quarterly (3-Month) Percent Change
1.2%
0.8%
0.8%
0.6%
0.7%
0.6%
0.4%
0.4%
0.6%
0.5%
0.5%
0.4%
0.4% 0.4%
0.8%
0.7%
0.6%
0.7%
0.4%
0.3%
0.2%
0.2%
0.0%
0.0%
-0.2%
-0.4%
-0.3%
-0.5%
-0.8%
-1.2%
-1.2%
2006
-1.6%
Qtr 1
Qtr 2
Qtr 3
2007
Qtr 4
Qtr 1
Qtr 2
Qtr 3
2008
Qtr 4
Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Link:
http://www.bls.gov/bls/employment.htm.
Qtr 1
Qtr 2
Qtr 3
Qtr 4
American Hospital Asssociation President and CEO –
Rich Umbdenstock:
“Complementary and alternative medicine has shown
great promise in supporting and stimulating
healing," said. "It's one of the many tools hospitals
look to as they continue to create optimal healing
environments for the patients they serve."
Trends Related to Massage
Therapists in Health Care and
Hospital Environments
Current Trends - “What”
Sept. 2008 report in Health Forum – An affiliate of the
American Hospital Association found:
•A growing proportion of hospitals are responding to
patient demand and integrating complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) services with conventional
services
•In 2007, more than 37% of hospitals offered one or more
CAM therapies, up from 7.7% in 1998
•The survey found that massage therapy is the top CAM
service provided on an outpatient basis and is the second
most popular service behind pet therapy in an inpatient
setting.
Growth in the Number of Hospitals Offering CAM
Services
40%
37.4%
35%
30%
26.5%
25%
20%
14.3% 15.8%16.3%
17.9% 18.3%
15%
10.2%
10%
7.7%
5%
0%
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2007
2005 and 2007 Inpatient CAM Services
50%
46%
45%
40%
37%
40%
35%
31%
30%
26%
25%
20%
15%
2005
2007
22%
20%
20%
18%
18%
15%
12%
10%
5%
0%
N/A
N/A
2007 Inpatient and Outpatient CAM
Services
60%
54%
Inpatient
50%
46%
Outpatient
40%
40%
35%
31%
30%
24%
21%
20%
18%
20%
10%
0%
27%
25%
25%
18%
12%
9%
30%
18%
10%
Current Trends – “Why”
•When asked primary rationale:
•Patient demand 84%
•Clinical effectiveness 67%
•Reflects organizational mission 57%
•Attract new patients 40%
•Physician’s request 40%
Reasons Hospitals Choose to Offer CAM Services
Patient Demand
84%
Clinically Effective
67%
Reflects Organizational Mission
57%
Attract New Patients
40%
Physician's Request
40%
Differentiate from Competitors
33%
Potential Cost Savings
21%
Other
14%
Employer's Request
5%
Insurance Coverage
4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Reasons Hospitals want to add MT
•
•
•
•
Patients are demanding it
Competition for patients.
Clinical outcomes
Ultimate goal of reducing costs – pharmaceuticals and
length of stay.
• It’s OK to be viewed as a “perk” at first – just need to
get in the door.
Current Trends – “Why”
Reasons for massage in an hospital
environment:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Pain management 66%
Massage for cancer patients 57%
Pregnancy massage 55%
Part of physical therapy 53%
For mobility/movement training 45%
Palliative care 41%
Reasons for Massage in a Hospital Environment
70%
60%
66%
57%
55%
53%
50%
45%
41%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Pain
Massage for Pregnancy
management
cancer
massage
patients
Physical
therapy
Mobility
training
Palliative
care
“Effects of Massage in Acute
and Critical Care”
•
Discussion of a systematic review of 22 articles examining the effect
of massage on relaxation, comfort, and sleep.
•
Most consistent effect: reduction in anxiety.
•
8/10 studies reported that massage significantly decreased anxiety
or perception of tension.
•
7/10 studies found that massage produced physiologic relaxation, as
indicated by significant changes in the expected direction in one or
more physiologic indicators.
•
In the 3 studies in which the effect of massage on discomfort was
investigated, it was found to be effective in reducing pain.
Richards, Kathy Culpepper RN, PhD et al, AACN Clinical Issues: Advanced Practice in Acute & Critical
Care: February 2000 - Volume 11 - Issue 1 - pp 77-96
Current Trends – “Who”
Support for initiating CAM programs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Administration 53%
Nursing 23%
Physicians 22%
Board 3%
Support for Initiating CAM Programs
60%
53%
50%
40%
30%
23%
22%
20%
10%
3%
0%
Administration
Nursing
Physicians
Board
Relationship with Medical Staff
• Critical to long term success of the program
• Need “champions”
• Referrals can be an indication of the quality of the
relationships
Program’s Relationship With Medical Staff
45%
40%
40%
35%
32%
30%
25%
20%
15%
16%
12%
10%
5%
0%
Excellent (high
referrals)
Good (moderate
referrals)
Mediocre (limited Poor (few referrals)
referrals)
Current Trends – “How”
Criteria Hospitals Used to Select CAM
Therapies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Patient Demand 79%
Evidence Based 72%
Practitioner Availability 62%
Market Research 27%
Other 15%
Criteria Hospitals Used to Select CAM Therapies
90%
80%
79%
72%
70%
62%
60%
50%
40%
30%
27%
20%
15%
10%
0%
Patient DemandEvidence Based
Practitioner
Availability
Market
Research
Other
How Patients Access CAM Services
90%
80%
80%
77%
70%
60%
51%
50%
40%
30%
20%
17%
10%
0%
Self Referral
Physician Referral
Nurse Referral
Other
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics….
“Employment for massage therapists is expected to
increase 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than
average for all occupations.”
“Massage therapy’s growing acceptance as a medical
tool, particularly by the medical provider and insurance
industries, will have the greatest impact on new job
growth for massage therapists.”
Fastest growing employment opportunity is in health care
settings
Therapists Reporting Employment
in a Health Care Environment
According to
the AMTA 2009
industry report,
the number of
massage
therapists
reporting
practicing in a
health care
setting
increased from
10% in 2005 to
25% in 2009.
30%
27%
25%
25%
20%
20%
15%
13%
10%
10%
5%
0%
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
The Baby Boomer Effect
According to a study by the American Hospital Association
“When I’m 64 – How Boomers Will Change Health
Care”:
“The wave of aging Baby Boomers will reshape
the health care system forever. There will be
more people enjoying their later years, but
they’ll be managing more chronic conditions
and therefore utilizing more health care
services. By 2030: The over 65 population will
nearly double as a result of the aging Boomers.
More than six of every 10 Boomers will be
managing more than one chronic condition.”
“When I’m 64: How Boomers Will Change Health Care”, American Hospital Association
Report, Washington, DC, May 2007
The Baby Boomer Effect
The convergence of four key factors drives how
Boomers will impact U.S. health care:
1. There are significantly more of them and, as they
age, they will require more health care services
than any other generation of Americans.
2. The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing
among Boomers.
3. They have different needs and expectations than
past generations.
4. More medical services and technologies are
available to them than ever before.
“When I’m 64: How Boomers Will Change Health Care”, American
Hospital Association Report, Washington, DC, May 2007
By 2030
Hospital
Admissions of
Boomers will
more than
double…
Leading to a
majority of
hospital patients
being over 65
The Baby Boomer Effect
“Going Beyond the Medical Model of Care: Finally,
hospitals are undertaking initiatives to offer the more
personalized care, comfort, service and convenience
that Boomers have come to expect. From
accommodating family caregivers and reducing sound,
to complementary and alternative medicine programs
(including massage and acupuncture) and a broad
range of fitness programs, the focus is on wellness not
simply restoring health.”
“Health Care Response: Innovative new approaches to
meeting patient needs reflect a broader care focus that
encompasses acute-care needs and enhances the
overall patient experience.”
“When I’m 64: How Boomers Will Change Health Care”, American Hospital
Association Report, Washington, DC, May 2007
The Baby Boomer Effect
“Seventy percent of Boomers have used some form
of complementary or alternative medicine. The
most popular treatments include massage therapy,
chiropractic services and other types of body
treatments. Complementary and alternative
medicine is being used equally to treat specific
health conditions and to improve overall wellness.”
“Health Care Implication: Aging Boomers with
higher expectations of service will demand more
innovative, personalized health care programs that
cater to their needs.”
“When I’m 64: How Boomers Will Change Health Care”, American Hospital
Association Report, Washington, DC, May 2007
Costs and Payment
Hospital CAM Program Start-up Costs
4%
10%
Under $200,000
Between $200,000 and
$500,000
Over $500,000
86%
Break Even Expectation
One Year
6%
Two Years
14%
Three Years
24%
Not Expected To
Break Even
56%
How Patients Pay for CAM Services
Patient self-pay
71%
Third-party reimbursment
39%
No Charge
38%
Workers compensation
20%
Medicare
14%
Billed as part of physician care
11%
Medicaid
10%
Other
15%
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Planning
• 55% of hospitals offering CAM services do NOT have
CAM as part of their overall strategic plan.
• Only 30% of hospitals offering CAM services have a
strategic plan for their CAM program.
• Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
CAM Part of Hospital's Strategic Plan
NO
55%
YES
45%
CAM Strategic Plan
YES
30%
NO
70%
Steps to Starting a HBMT Practice
1. Self Assessment
2. Environmental Assessment
3. Build the relationships
4. Negotiate the terms of the
practice
1. Self Assessment
• Does a HBMT practice fit with my personal and
professional goals?
• Am I qualified to practice in a hospital environment?
• Will I be able to manage the emotional challenges of a
hospital based position?
• What about the complex patient population? How do I
feel about working with patients who are very sick and
perhaps dying?
• Is my personality well suited to working with doctors,
nurses and other hospital employees?
2. Environmental Assessment
• Is there a local hospital need that I could help
satisfy?
• Does the compensation and schedule meet my
needs?
• Will I be the one massage therapist on staff or
joining a well established team?
• Will I be a lone pioneer, struggling to create a
program or coming into a massage friendly
environment?
3. Build the relationships
• Importance cannot be underestimated.
• More than gift baskets
• Relationships with:
– Hospital administration
– Onsite supervisors
– Educational partners
4. Negotiate the Details and
Terms of the Practice
Get clarity of the non-negotiable needs of the hospital
•
•
•
•
•
•
Criminal background checks
Immunization requirements
Insurance requirements
Licensure
Educational requirements
National certification
Negotiate and understand the responsibilities of both
parties
• Patient access
• Documentation requirements
• Compensation and schedule
Consider getting additional education
Most massage therapy schools and programs do not
focus on preparing hospital-based therapists.
Avoid:
– Courses that focus on “pathology” only.
– Courses that focus on “technique” only.
– Programs that do not include a clinical component in a
hospital setting.
Look for:
– A well established program.
– A program with a track record of completers gaining
employment in hospitals.
– Programs that focus on preparing you for the unique
patient and environmental considerations.
I. Educational Objectives
1.
Perform appropriate massage techniques for comfort care on diverse
patient populations.
2. Obtain information from patient's charts and record documentation of
session.
3. Interact comfortably with hospital staff.
4. Describe common medical devices and procedures.
5. Apply appropriate massage pressure, avoid applicable site restrictions,
and use appropriate positioning for patients according to their specific
medical condition.
6. Describe appropriate boundaries for both therapist-patient and
therapist- hospital staff interactions.
7. Apply appropriate infection control practices with all massage
encounters in the hospital.
8. Understand common medical conditions and symptoms and how they
relate to the massage session.
9. Discuss hospital research involving massage therapy.
10. Demonstrate correct body mechanics for the hospital environment.
II. The Textbook
“Massage for the Hospital Patient and Medically Frail
Client” by Gayle MacDonald
“This is an essential resource for learning massage in the
acute care setting. As the need for massage in
hospitals has grown, many massage therapists and
massage students are developing their skills in this
environment to broaden their practice and meet market
demand.”
“The text explores pressure adjustments, site restrictions,
and positioning needs for hospital patients and
medically frail clients. An easy-to-use conceptual format
covers common medical devices and procedures,
standard precautions, the relationship between
pharmaceuticals and massage, charting, and collecting
patient data. Illustrations demonstrate body mechanics,
draping, room preparation, and more.”
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
The revival of hospital massage
Reviewing the research
Adapting to hospital culture
Infection control practices
Pressure, site, and position – a clinical framework
Common reasons for hospitalization or medical treatment
Common conditions and symptoms
Common medical devices and procedures
Medications
Referrals, orders, and intake
The massage session
Documentation
Notice very limited on the “techniques” or “pathology”
III. Teaching methods
1. Didactic Portion
–
–
–
–
At least a portion should take place at the hospital.
Plenty of role playing
Include roles for hospital staff that the students will
interact with.
Emphasis on communication, documentation, safety
issues, emotional issues (i.e. reactions to serious illness
and death)
2. Clinical Portion
–
–
–
–
Well defined roles for both student and supervisor
Include observation expectations
Scheduling
Who is the supervisor?
IV. Assessment Tools and Methods
• Journaling
– Technical component
– Emotional component
• Observation rubric
• Group presentation
• Evidence Informed Practice assignments
Quotes from past student journals:
“The second patient that I saw with Molly was a women
in her early 50’s who had just been diagnosed with
Lung Cancer the day before. Molly and I read in her
chart that the patient had said “well I guess I’m just
here to die”. When we stopped in the patient looked
very depressed and withdrawn. It was a very sad
situation to see. The patient did not want any services
from us.”
“I would have to say that the highlight of my day
was spending the last hour with Kim the music
therapist. We saw an 81 year old woman who
was dying. I gave the patient a foot massage
while Kim played her guitar and sang songs
for her. The patient would request a song and
she would sing along with Kim. She looked so
incredibly happy and so grateful that we were
there with her. She was the sweetest woman,
you just wanted to reach over and give her a
big hug.”
“It is so different giving massage to
patients in the hospital vs. what I am
learning in school. I think it is very
satisfying to do this type of massage and
to see what a difference I can make for
someone in such a short amount of
time.”
Dale Healey
[email protected]
800-888-4777 ext. 348