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Barbara is in holistic nursing private practice in south central Kansas where she provides unique education, practice specialty and consultation services. The vision of her Holistic Nursing Consultants practice is to care for the whole person, mind-body-spirit. Barbara's authentic caring approach and calm presence is the foundation of a more than 25-year nursing career. Caring is defined as a commitment that communicates compassion, presence and a non-judgmental attitude while providing competent actions to an individual or group.
Barbara is a Certified Holistic Nurse (HNC) with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Clinical Nurse Specialty (CNS) in Adult Health and Illness. She can provide her practice specialties, including health assessments, Therapeutic Touch, relaxation strategies, and health promotion education in the comfort of your own home, as well as make hospital visits. Her clinical nursing practice areas included expertise in critical care, bedside nursing for persons who had suffered strokes and case management for persons involved in physical trauma in a regional teaching medical center in Wichita, Kansas. She developed and coordinated a Complementary Healing Services program for four years while at this facility. Barbara has also over seen subtle energy research at a research institute in Wichita. Some of her consultation services include criteria for integrating complementary/alternative health practices into conventional settings, guidelines for research projects and mentoring for Therapeutic Touch practitioners. The Nurse Healers-Professional Associates International, Inc. (NH-PAI), the official organization of Therapeutic Touch (TT), recognizes Barbara as a qualified TT teacher/practitioner. NH-PAI sets the standards for the practice and teaching of Therapeutic Touch. She has taught numerous Therapeutic Touch programs, both in the U.S. and internationally. Barbara studied annually for 14 years with the co-founders of TT, Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN and Dora Kunz, a natural healer. |
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Credentials and Education:
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Certification:
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Professional Service and Organizations:
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Experience:
· August 2002 - January 2003 Director of Clinical Subtle Energy Research at The Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning International, Inc.’s Bio-Communication Research Institute · April 2001 - August 2002 Trauma Attending RN at Via Christi Regional Medical Center (VCRMC), St. Francis Campus (SFC), overseeing the nursing care of trauma patients throughout their stay including discharge planning and education · September 2000 - April 2001 staff RN in the Stroke Unit at VCRMC, SFC · June 1996 - August 2000 provided Complementary Healing Services at VCRMC. This involved the development of an innovative program that provided services for patients and employees including education for employees and others in Therapeutic Touch (TT) and stress reduction strategies/health promotion. Relaxation interventions/services provided included TT, relaxing music, relaxation tapes and instructions, back massage, imagery, self-assessment tools and vibroacoustic music recliner. · 1986 - 2001 Private practice as a Therapeutic Touch Practitioner/Teacher. · 1977 - 1996 St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas, held the following positions in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit: Patient Care Supervisor, Interim Assistant Director, Staff Registered Nurse
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| Publications: Denison, B. (2004). Touch the Pain Away New Research on Therapeutic Touch and Persons with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Holistic Nursing Practice, 18(3), May-June, page 142-151 Denison, B. (2001). Consumer Access to Complementary Therapies Such as Therapeutic Touch (TT). The Kansas Nurse, 76(3), page 12-15. Chambers Clark, C., Editor (1999). Encyclopedia of Complementary Health Practices Springer Publishing Company, New York, NY. “Therapeutic Touch: Definition, History, and Theory” and “Therapeutic Touch: Uses, Research and Standards for Practice” contributed by Barbara Denison Denison, B. (1997). My Lived Experience Integrating Therapeutic Touch into Traditional Healthcare. Cooperative Connection, XVIII, (5), October (the Newsletter of the Nurse Healers-Professional Associates International, Inc.)
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| Have been interviewed and
referenced
in the
following publications: · Milton, D. and Benjamin, S. (1999). Complementary and Alternative Therapies An Implementation Guide to Integrative Health Care. Published by Health Forum, Inc. Listed in Appendix B: Examples of Integrative Projects, p. 163. · Interviewed in 1998 by Dr. Wendy Huwitz for a chapter in a medical textbook, Fundamentals of Alternative Medicine. · Shideler, K. (1998). Therapeutic Touch. The Wichita Eagle, Tuesday, March 17 (Living Health and Fitness section). · Larson, L. (1998). Take a Deep Cleansing Breath-And Feel 21st Century Medicine. Trustee The Magazine for Community-Based Governance, 51 (6), 14-17. · Coughlan, B. (1998). Integrative clinics A new way to deliver health care. Massage Magazine, November/December, 56-65. · Sweetland, J.L. (1998). Therapeutic Touch in Traditional Settings. Surgical Services Management, December 14, (12), 25-28. · Thomas, C. (1997). Complementary Healing Services helps patients manage pain and stress, Vision, June 2 (4), a Via Christi Health System newsletter.
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Research:
August 2002-January 2003-Conducted various pilot research projects related to Therapeutic Touch and subtle energy, with human subjects, seeds and water, while at The Center’s Bio-Communications Research Institute in Wichita, KS that included laboratory, energetic and physical outcome measurements. August - November 2001- Conducted research thesis: The Effectiveness of Therapeutic Touch for the Experience of Pain and Quality of Life in Persons with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Bound thesis (2002) available through Ablah library at Wichita State University. Awarded $300 Kansas Nurses Foundation grant for this research. Research conducted at The Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning International, Inc. Developed research at Via Christi Regional Medical Center in Wichita, KS: May-August 2000- The Effect of Therapeutic Touch on Total Patient Cost Associated with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery. This research study was terminated when the position of Complementary Healing Services was eliminated. Awarded $10,000 grant through VC Auxiliary and balance of $34,000 grant was expected from VC Foundation. The purpose of this two group randomized clinical trial was to determine if Therapeutic Touch would decrease total patient cost associated with CABG surgery and secondarily, its influence on 1) length of stay, 2) hemoglobin/ hematocrit values and 3) patient satisfaction. June-July 1999- Vibroacoustic Music (VAM) for Stress Reduction (SR) with Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) Employees. VC Auxiliary donated funds to purchase the VAM products. 1997- Provided Therapeutic Touch in a CABG 97 QA study. Variables evaluated through retrospective chart review included length of stay, complications, frequency and amount of pain medication usage and perception of pain. August-September 1995. Pilot project to evaluate the effects of Therapeutic Touch on a convenience sample of medical patients. Outcome variables were pain, anxiety, sense of wellness and control. |
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