Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Corso di laurea in infermieristica - Sede di Modena

Abstract

The persistent increasing of complementary treatments applied in the palliative setting has made the nurses participants in this new "supplementary" method of providing assistance, in particular the case manager nurse. This is possible where the assisted person and his family also accept the specific technique. With this paper we want to deepen the techniques and approaches of complementary care, with particular reference to the technique of foot reflexology in the assistance of the end of life. From the studies emerged that massage technique has had positive results in managing disabling symptoms in terminal cancer patients. A review of the Italian and international literature was conducted using bank data such as PubMed. The research was developed using boolean operators such as AND, OR, NOT and keywords such as: complementary care, foot reflexology, home care, palliative care. The research topic concerned the advantages and disadvantages of using foot reflexology applied in oncology by the nurse. According to the statistical and epidemiological data collected, a reading of the use of these unconventional therapies in Italy was found starting from the 2000s. This trend gave me the input to draw up a personalized nursing care plan, based on the experience of internship carried out in the palliative care team in Adi in Modena, using the standardized taxonomies NANDA-I, NOC and NIC. The clinical case presented has made concrete what has been stated by the various scientific studies on possible complementary treatments in association with the treatment of conventional Western medicine. In my opinion, the application of foot reflexology in nursing practice is still not widespread but growing. It has given good results in managing the quality of life in the terminal phase of the assisted person.