1. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Paper
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PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPERS ON Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
PaperWrite 8-9 pages about Chronic Pain and Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(CAM). Please follow the guide line below. (There are two examples for old papers included
to look how the paper will be.)CAM Paper RubricSummarize your findings (8-9 pages in
length),double space, 12 pt font, cited APA style 1. Overview/explanation of the
modality2. General pattern of use in the US or internationally3. Benefits or claims of this
product or therapy4. Possible or proven risks, or possible harm5. Comparison of the
conventional medicine to the CAM modality6. Any research contributing to the CAM
modality7. Conclusions/recommendations for consumers (including
yourself)Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Paperattachment_1Unformatted
Attachment PreviewSample 1 Running head: REIKI IN THE NURSING PROFESSION 1 2
According to The International Center for Reiki Training, Reiki is “a Japanese technique for
stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing”. I began my exploration of Reiki
in hopes of determining the potential benefits to patients with certain illnesses or chronic
conditions, and the possibility of incorporating Reiki in my nursing practice to improve
patient outcomes. While the benefits to patients appear to be many, what really stood out to
me was the benefit to the nurse/Reiki practitioner in terms of increasing his or her capacity
for caring, compassion, and healing, as well as reducing the burnout that is commonly
associated with the nursing profession. This paper will look at the history and practice of
Reiki, its relation to nursing care theories, and nursing implications associated with the
integration of Reiki and nursing practice. Reiki means Universal Energy or Life Force. There
is some conflict between Eastern and Western versions as to the history of Reiki. The
prevalent Western version indicates that Reiki was initially practiced by Tibetan Buddhist
monks over 2500 years ago, and that the practice was rediscovered by Japanese physician,
Dr. Mikao Usui, in the late 1800s. Dr. Usui is said to have healed many people, including
himself, using Reiki therapy. Prior to his death, Dr. Usui passed the “keys of Reiki” (a term
he used to describe the activation and channeling of the healing life energy) to another
Japanese physician, Dr. Churgiro Hayashi. Dr. Hayashi used Reiki in combination with his
medical practice in Tokyo, and subsequently initiated Madame Hawayo Takata into Reiki
(Whelan & Wishnia, 2003). Madame Takata lived in Hawaii, and was of Japanese descent.
She traveled to Japan in 1935, seeking treatment for her failing health. A physician directed
her to Dr. Hayashi’s clinic, where she was treated and gradually healed with Reiki. She was
2. subsequently initiated into First and Second Degree Reiki, and returned to Hawaii where
she began her own practice. A few 3 years later, Dr. Hayashi visited Madame Takata in
Hawaii, and initiated her as a Reiki Master. By the time of her death in 1980, Madame
Takata had trained and initiated 22 Reiki masters. Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (CAM) PaperNot only was Madame Takata the first woman and non-Japanese
citizen to obtain this level of Reiki, but she is credited with bringing Reiki to the Western
world (Whelan & Wishnia, 2003). Reiki therapy came to the United States mainland in the
early 1970s (Potter, 2003). The Eastern version of Reiki history indicates that Dr. Usui
founded the Usui Healing Method Society in Tokyo. Dr. Usui was the first president. Today
many versions of Reiki are practiced around the world (Whelan & Wishnia, 2003). The
International Center for Reiki Training states that Reiki is a “spiritually guided life force
energy”, administered by a trained practitioner who channels the energy to the client. The
practice of Reiki is based on the idea that disease results from an imbalance or a blockage of
the universal life energy, and Reiki practitioners act as “conduits” for this healing energy by
placing their hands over specific areas, energy centers, of the body (Whelan & Wishnia,
2003). This facilitates self-healing by releasing the blockage of energy. Reiki practitioners go
through three levels (degrees) of training. In the First Degree, beginners learn the history of
Reiki and basic instruction regarding hand positions. They receive attunements (spiritual
rituals) from a Reiki master, which activate their practice at this level. In the Second Degree,
additional attunements are received, including the capacity to practice distant Reiki. The
Third Degree, or Master level, prepares the practitioner to teach Reiki. This training lasts
approximately one year, with the practitioner working as an apprentice with a Reiki Master
(Whelan & Wishnia, 2003). Modern Reiki practitioners include the study of the chakras in
relation to the energy lines, called meridians. The chakras, or “spinning energy centers”, are
the points at which the 4 meridians intersect. They act as a wheel, distributing energy
throughout the body (Whelan & Wishnia, 2003). There are seven chakras – the root chakra,
the navel chakra, the solar plexus chakra, the heart chakra, the throat chakra, the third eye
chakra, and the crown chakra – each influencing different body functions. The hand
positions used by Reiki practitioners cover all of the major chakras (“Reiki treatment,”
2009). Reiki therapy is administered by a practitioner laying his/her hands over specific
areas of the body. The client is typically clothed. Reiki treatments can be administered to a
few specific body positions, but it is traditional to give a whole treatment, which covers all
of the body positions and lasts about one hour. Western Reiki practitioners commonly use a
set of 12 body positions. Reiki is usually very relaxing and beneficial to both the client and
the practitioner (“Reiki treatment,” 2009). Reiki is used to facilitate relaxation and pain
relief, and promotes health by stimulating the body’s natural ability to heal itself (Barnett,
2009). Reiki and Therapeutic Touch (TT) are often compared to one another as being
similar in practice, but there are some important distinctions in the underlying philosophies
and the way practitioners are trained, according to an article by Pamela Potter (2003).
Potter describes how Reiki is passed from master to student through attunement, whereas
TT is a technique learned from an experienced practitioner. In addition, she describes the
intention of Reiki as allowing the flow of energy by releasing blockage, whereas TT directs
the flow. In her article, Potter states her belief that self-Reiki is important in preparing
3. practitioners to administer Reiki to others. Through her own practice of Reiki, Potter
indicates that the quality of her “ability to assess and treat people…became less directive,
more intuitive, and more like prayer”. A review of the website “ClinicalTrials.gov” reveals
six clinical trials of Reiki therapy that were recently completed in the areas of stress,
prostate cancer, chemotherapy-induced 5 peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, AIDS,
painful neuropathy, and cardiovascular risk factors, as well as one ongoing study of Reiki as
part of an individualized intervention for patients with colorectal cancer. A wealth of
articles was also found relating to the self-care of nurses and other healthcare providers
through the use of mind-body and energy therapies, such as Reiki. The following articles
address the concepts of burnout and compassion fatigue among healthcare professionals,
and the nursing implications associated with addressing these concerns. Burnout is an issue
that is frequently discussed in the healthcare profession. DiazRodriguez et al. (2011)
describe burnout as “a work-related mental health impairment comprising three
dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal
accomplishment”. The authors report nurses are at increased risk for burnout due to the
highstress demands of their profession, and indicate that burnout is usually associated with
a decrease in job performance, increase in stress-related health problems, and ultimately
lower patient satisfaction with the care received by those nurses. Results of their study of
21 healthcare professionals suggest that “Reiki shifts the autonomic balance toward
parasympathetic predominance”, demonstrated by improved cardiac balance following a
single Reiki session. This indicates that healthcare professionals experiencing burnout may
benefit from Reiki through the promotion of relaxation and resulting decrease in
sympathetic activity. A pilot study by Angela Brathovde (2006), a nurse at Monmouth
Medical Center in New Jersey, explored whether First Degree Reiki therapy, taught as part
of a self-care practice, would help nurses to “reconnect with the sense of compassionate
caring, and…strengthen their own energy reserves, which they might have lost through
burnout and compassion fatigue”. Brathovde describes compassion fatigue as “caring for
others without caring for oneself”, and discusses how this phenomenon is common to the
nursing profession. The framework of her 6 study is based on nursing theorist Jean
Watson’s Caring Theory. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) PaperWatson’s
nursing practice involved the philosophy and science of caring, and describes caring as an
interpersonal process, with the nurse responsible for helping people to understand the
interrelationship between health, illness, and human behavior (Potter & Perry, 2009).
Exemplifying Watson’s philosophy of transpersonal caring, Brathovde beautifully states: It
is difficult to compassionately care for others if unable to care for oneself. The practice of
Reiki allows for the ability of the practitioner to provide compassionate, healing touch to
themselves or others, to be fully present in that caring moment, and to participate in
establishing a caring, satisfying work setting. (p. 97) Brathovde’s study involved 12 nurses
and healthcare providers, who were introduced to Reiki as a self-care practice through a 1
½ -hour educational presentation. Three months later, surveys and semi-structured
interviews were conducted with the participants, from which four themes emerged:
spirituality – participants noted feelings of connection, and a reminder that we are not
dominant and superior; increased self-care and caring behaviors – making a point of doing
4. little things for themselves, such as watching the sunrise, eating healthier, and being more
attentive to their own self-care; healing presence – feeling more mindful when touching, or
“touching with intention”; and increased personal awareness – making lifestyle changes,
awareness of how learning Reiki has changed their perception of their clinical practice, and
a desire to further their holistic education. In her article Reconnecting to Nursing through
Reiki, author Glenda Watson Natale talks about how today’s nurses are challenged by the
“stressors of a complex and demanding healthcare system that can lead to compassion
fatigue and burnout”. Over time, chronic stress and fatigue affect the immune response,
promoting alterations between homeostasis and 7 exhaustion. These effects are
characterized by increases in blood pressure and cortisol levels, and a decrease in
peripheral skin temperature. Natale discusses a 2002 study from the University of Houston
(as cited in Engebretson & Wardell, 2002), which collected both qualitative and quantitative
information from recipients of a 30-minute Reiki session. The participants reported feelings
of safety and calmness, and an increase in mental clarity; and quantitative data
demonstrated positive results related to blood pressure, skin temperature, and
immunoglobulin levels. Natale also references Provision 5 of the Code of Ethics of the
American Nurses Association, which states, “The nurse owes the same duties to self as to
others” (as cited in ANA, 2010). She states that Reiki is a valuable tool for integrating a
higher level of awareness, empowerment, and acceptance in dealing with the challenges and
stressors associated with nursing. Whelan and Wishnia (2003) explored the perceived
benefits of nurse/Reiki practitioners, both on their patients and on themselves as providers.
This phenomenological study collected information regarding the lived experiences through
narrative interviews with eight nurse/Reiki Masters. Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (CAM) PaperIn addition to perceived benefits of the patient – improved healing
process, relaxation and calmness, and pain reduction – there were a couple of themes
described by the practitioners that exemplified the beneficial effects of utilizing Reiki in the
nursing profession. First, 75% of the participants reported increased satisfaction in their
role as nurse/Reiki practitioners compared to their previous nursing work. Specific
comments included appreciation of increased time spent with patients; ability to offer
“sacred, beneficial, effective, and non-invasive treatment”; decreased stress; increased
tuition and insight; and less burnout. Another theme involved the perceived advantage of
being a nurse in conjunction with being a Reiki practitioner, with 87.5% of participants
answering this question in the affirmative. Responses included knowledge of 8 anatomy and
physiology on the part of the nurse; the caring mindset of the nursing profession; and the
increased credibility that comes with being a nurse. Unfortunately, it seems that the
opposite may also be true, as demonstrated by the perceived disadvantage of being a
nurse/Reiki practitioner. 37.5% of participants reported a perceived credibility issue of
Reiki with the nursing profession. Whelan and Wishnia discuss that despite the fact that
Reiki has been practiced for centuries, it is still relatively unknown to Western medicine,
leading to skepticism on the part of health professionals. However, there is a need for
complementary and alternative treatment options in order to address the diverse needs of
our population, and Reiki has the ability to work synergistically with conventional medicine
to improve patient health and outcomes. In 2007, Raingruber and Robinson studied the
5. effectiveness of a self-care program involving Tai Chi, yoga, meditation, and Reiki healing
sessions in promoting health and enhancing the problem solving abilities of registered
nurses at the University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA. These self-
care options were offered to all nurses at the facility, with sessions offered various days and
times. Nurses were free to choose the self-care option that fit their interest and their
schedule, but were asked to select just one self-care class to attend. In addition to weekly
class attendance, nurses were asked to complete self-care journals, reflecting on several
questions each week. Thirty-five nurses participated in the study. The intervention lasted
for 3 months, at which time nurses were asked to return the anonymous reflection journals.
Compliance with the self-care classes was high, with no nurse missing more than one
session. Results included noticing sensations of warmth, and a tingly sensation in hands and
feet, which the nurses described as being relaxing. The authors note that burnout is
associated with a “lack of access to bodily energies, resources and sensations”. The calming
9 effects of the interventions may allow one to cushion them from the exhaustion often
associated with burnout. Increased problem solving abilities were reported by the nurses,
specifically the ability to recognize solutions to problems more quickly. The nurses
attributed this to being calmer and more focused, and generally feeling more grounded.
Participants also described a sense of relaxation in their personal lives, allowing them more
space to notice subtle cues from their patients. Nurses “consistently described feeling more
positive about their work” following their participation in the self-care classes. The authors
of the study indicate that self-care programs have beneficial effects in promoting healthy
behaviors and attitudes of nurses and improving patient care, and may prove profitable to
hospitals and other health-care organizations. Given the nature of our healthcare system,
the high acuity of hospitalized patients, and the complexity of current nursing practice
today, it is improbable that we will achieve decreases in the nursing workload or stress
levels in the near future. What we can do is strengthen the ability of nurses to cope with
these demands. While there is no one-size-fits-all program for stress management, it is clear
that self-care is a crucial aspect to the health and well-being of our nursing workforce,
which in turn benefits a nurse’s ability to care for and heal patients. I believe that Reiki is
just one of many complementary and alternative modalities that can be effectively
integrated with conventional Western medicine to improve the quality and outcomes of
patient care; and Reiki has the added potential to improve the health, vitality, and healing
capacity of the nurses administering that care. As a nursing student, I am excited about the
possibility of incorporating Reiki into my practice, and plan to pursue Level 1 training. As
the current President of the Monmouth Student Nurses Association, I am interested in
introducing my fellow nursing cohorts to the practice of Reiki as well. 10 References
American Nurses Association. (2010, November 15). Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (CAM) PaperCode of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. American
Nurses Association. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from
http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNur
ses/Code-of-Ethics.pdf Barnett, L. (2009). What is Reiki? Reiki Master Libby Barnett, MSW,
Reiki Training and Therapy in New Hampshire and New England. Retrieved July 18, 2012,
from http://www.reikienergy.com/ Brathovde, A. (2006). A Pilot Study: Reiki for self-care
6. of nurses and healthcare providers. Holistic Nursing Practice, 20(2), 95-101. Díaz-
Rodríguez, L., Arroyo-Morales, M., Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C., García-Lafuente, F., García-
Royo, C., & Tomás-Rojas, I. (2011). Immediate Effects of Reiki on Heart Rate Variability,
Cortisol Levels, and Body Temperature in Health Care Professionals With Burnout.
Biological Research for Nursing, 13(4), 376-382. doi:10.1177/1099800410389166
Engebretson, J., & Wardell, D. (2002). Experience of a Reiki session. Alternative Therapies in
Health and Medicine, 8(2), 48-53. Natale, G. (2010). Reconnecting to Nursing Through Reiki.
Creative Nursing, 16(4), 171-176. doi:10.1891/1078-4535.16.4.171 Potter, P. (2003). What
Are the Distinctions Between Reiki and Therapeutic Touch?. Clinical Journal of Oncology
Nursing, 7(1), 1-3. Potter, P. A., & Perry, A. G. (2009). Theoretical Foundations of Nursing
Practice. In Fundamentals of Nursing (7th ed., pp. 49-51). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. 11
Raingruber, B., & Robinson, C. (2007). The effectiveness of Tai Chi, Yoga, meditation, and
Reiki healing sessions in promoting health and enhancing problem solving abilities of
registered nurses. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 28(10), 1141-1155.
doi:10.1080/01612840701581255 Reiki treatment for mind, body and spirit. (n.d.).
Reiki.nu. Retrieved July 18, 2012, from http://www.reiki.nu/ The International Center for
Reiki Training. (n.d.). The International Center for Reiki Training. Retrieved July 18, 2012,
from http://www.reiki.org/ U.S. National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). ClinicalTrials.gov.
ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrieved July 18, 2012, from http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ Whelan, K.
M., & Wishnia, G. S. (2003). Reiki Therapy: The benefits to a nurse/Reiki practitioner.
Holistic Nursing Practice, 17(4), 209-217. 12 Sample 2 Complementary and Alternative
Medicine: Pregnancy 13 2 For many women, pregnancy is a time of excitement and
anticipation in preparation for a new chapter in life. While this may be very exciting, many
concerns can arise in the minds of mothers as they become more conscious of what is being
put into their bodies. From allergies to insomnia, pregnant women suffer as many ailments
as the general population. The main concern to treat these types of conditions is that many
medications are unsafe for a pregnant woman and growing fetus. At this point, many
pregnant women turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Women are the
largest demographic of CAM users, due to the advice of therapists (especially midwives) and
positive experiences with CAM prior to pregnancy (Kalder, 2011). These types of practices
have been proven to be very helpful to many pregnant women, are usually easily accessible,
come in a variety of treatments, and are generally very safe to practice. CAM t
…Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Paper
