LifeSpark is proud to announce that our 2022 research project was featured as a poster at the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) conference in Denver last week.
The project, led by Principal Investigator Lynne Bentley, PhD, RN, AOCNS, captured the attention of attendees with a short presentation while the poster was displayed on the big screen. Additionally, the study has been published on the ONS website. Click HERE to read the full study. 
The journey to this point has been long but rewarding. Our research highlights the benefits of non-drug therapies like Reiki and Healing Touch, which are gradually gaining acceptance within the medical community. While there are numerous studies on these therapies, our project stands out as one of the few that explores their benefits for Reiki for self-care among healthcare professionals.
Our study focused on training oncology nurses in Reiki as a self-care tool. The results were promising, showing notable improvements in resilience at the end of the four-month training, as well as at three and six months post-training. By supporting nurses with this versatile and easy-to-use tool, we aim to reduce stress and enhance the quality of care they provide to cancer patients.
The poster, titled “The Impact of Daily Self Reiki Practice on Resilience Among Oncology Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study,” was presented by Lynne Bentley, with Amiee La Touche, one of the participating nurses, present for photos.
The study was conducted by a dedicated team, including Lynne Bentley, mentioned above, Wendy Haylett from UCHealth Research Department, and Sandy Priester, Executive Director of LifeSpark Cancer Resources.
We embarked on this study because oncology nurses face significant challenges in their daily work, leading to high rates of burnout and attrition. Enhancing resilience is crucial for maintaining a healthy, engaged workforce and ensuring optimal patient care. Our research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Reiki training and daily self-Reiki practice in promoting resilience among these vital healthcare professionals.
As we continue to explore the potential of Reiki and Healing Touch, we hope to inspire further research and integration of these therapies into healthcare settings. By investing in the well-being of our nursing staff, we can ultimately improve outcomes for both nurses and the patients they serve.
