Caring touch in intensive care nursing: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Historically, caring touch was integrated in targeted nursing acts as shoulder massage, calming patients or to check vital parameters by touching the patient`s skin. However, this phenomenon in intensive care nursing still lacks convincing descriptions. Caring touch is an important part of being an intensive care nurse and confirming the patient`s dignity. To touch the patient`s skin is a common nursing act, but not much spoken of. Caring touch on the patient`s chin, holding hands or giving a hug has earlier been called e.g., non-procedural touch. PURPOSE: Explore the meaning of caring touch as it appeared for Norwegian intensive care nurses. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from qualitative, individual semi-structured interviews. Eight experienced intensive care nurses at public Norwegian non-university hospitals. Registered by the Norwegian Center for Research data NSD December 2014. ID 41164. FINDINGS: Data analysis revealed one main-theme: The speaking body, with four sub-themes 1) Eyes and facial expressions, 2) Patients emotional expressions, 3) Closeness and distance, 4) ICU nurses’ emotional responses. CONCLUSION: Caring touch is a silent way of showing culturally competent care and establish or continue nurse-patient relationships in intensive care units. Caring touch contributes to heighten ethical dimensions of dignity in intensive care nursing.