Patrice Rancour

• MS,RN,PMHCNS-BC
• Medical Professional at The Ohio State University

In an era when many patients are discovering that psychoactive medication is difficult to tolerate, addictive, or not working, or that conventional cognitive-behavioral therapy is not enough, many patients are interested in learning non-pharmacological techniques to help them manage stress and other symptoms, be they mental, emotional, or physical....

The purpose of this article is to describe the development and evolution of a nonprofit group of holistic healthcare practitioners who designed a healthcare delivery system to provide pro bono holistic healthcare services to under-served populations in their community. Topics explored include organizational challenges and development, services offe...

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is defined and described as a clinical procedure for the relief of psychological and physical distress that patients often bring to the attention of nurses. Frequently referred to as “tapping,” this technique combines the cognitive reprocessing benefits of exposure and acceptance therapy with the energetic dist...

A comprehensive palliative care nursing assessment of the patient and family occurs throughout the trajectory of the illness and is a holistic view that includes the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual domains. Patient and family assessment provides the foundation for mutual goal setting, devising a plan of care, implementing interventions, and e...

Art interpretation is described as a clinical approach in assisting individuals to move toward ever higher levels of wellness. Using it with healthy as well as ill individuals prompts participants to attend to the connection between themselves and the larger world. Asking individuals in a group setting to look closely at art, to make a connection b...

Nurses historically have used the medical model to assess and intervene when individuals move transitionally into and out of the role of patients with cancer. Although assessing for clinical depression or other medical model designations is appropriate, using this as the sole model for helping patients with cancer emerge from their illness experien...

There is a need to investigate novel interventions that promote worksite physical activity and wellness. The authors' purpose in this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week walking program supplemented with a pedometer, computer educational program, and weekly e-mails. College faculty and staff participated in a one-group pre-posttest...

Originally published in 2001, the Textbook of Palliative Nursing has become the standard text for the field of hospice and palliative care nursing. In this new edition, the authors and editors have updated each chapter to ensure that the content is evidence-based and current references are included. They also have retained the important focus on ca...

To describe the use of letter writing as a technique to assist patients in adjusting to an altered body image after dramatic cancer treatment. Published articles and books. Gestalt therapy, psychosynthesis, and journaling techniques evolve into a technique that can assist patients who are challenged to accept altered body parts. Described in a case...

Knowledge of developmental stages through the life cycle has always been a hallmark of quality nursing care. The knowledge base gleaned from the older adult literature, such as Schachter-Shalomi and Miller's construct of sage-ing (1995), can help nurses understand that many of the completion tasks usually associated with aging suddenly are thrust t...

A weekly three-hour interactive small group seminar held for four weeks exposes first-year medical students to contemporary issues relative to the psychosocial care of the oncology patient. Learning objectives include identifying the psychosocial trajectory of patients, a review of ethical considerations, identification of rehabilitation goals and...

The technique of interactive guided imagery has numerous applications in the practice of oncology nursing: relaxation, pain and symptom management, grief work, and helping patients discern meaning in their illness experience, to name a few. The technique is described according to the theoretical framework presented by Roberto Assagioli. A case illu...

People who suffer loss due to disease, altered body image, or the threat of death struggle to find meaning in their experience. While healthcare providers scurry about trying to find the right combination of chemotherapeutic agents, these individuals are often left alone to struggle with a sense of despair. Using a clinical vignette, the author des...