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Metas de Enfermería

Metas de Enfermería

MARZO 2001 N° 33 Volumen 4

Use of touch as a form of communication between the nurse and the patients

Section: Originals

How to quote

de la Torre J et al. El empleo del tacto como forma de comunicación del profesional de Enfermería. Metas de Enfermería mar 2001; 4(2): 26-32

Authors

Julio de la Torre Fernández-Trujillo, Esperanza Arriaga Piñeiro, Rosario Gil Sacaluga, Miguel Marchal Escabias, Mª Jesús Sebastián Iglesias, Ana García Ba&ntild

Position

Diplomados en Enfermería y Profesores de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería del Hospital U. Puerta del Mar.

Contact address

Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería del Hospital U. Puert del mar de Cádiz. Avda. Ana de Viya, s/n. 11009 Cádiz.

Abstract

Objective: To analyse how nurses’ tactile behaviour is influenced by certain human factors such as age, sex, and touching habits in the family environment or in social relationships.

Method: This is a descriptive, transversal study, performed in the five public hospitals of the Andalusian Health Service in the province of Cádiz.

Data were collected using questionnaires filled out by the participants themselves. These questionnaires were distributed at random to the 710 selected healthcare professionals and stratified according to hospitals and services.

Results: Response rate was 85%. Of the professional nurses who completed the poll, 73,2% were women and 26,6% were men. Respondents were between 23 and 64 years old. A large number of professionals said that they were hardly or never touched in their adolescence, and this led to little touching both in their family and in their social relationships and their relationships with patients. There were important differences between the areas touched most by the professionals in their social relationships and with the patients. Patient touching was most extensive with the hands, arms and legs. When touching a patient, the main aim was to transmit affection, safety and comprehension. Old people and children where touched more often. Seriously ill patients conscious of their condition tended to be touched more than slightly ill patients, those in coma or those with infectious diseases.

Keywords:

communication; touch; healthnursing

Versión en Español

Título:

El empleo del tacto como forma de comunicación del profesional de Enfermería