AN EXAMINATION OF TOUCH BETWEEN NURSES AND ELDERLY PATIENTS IN A CONTINUING CARE SETTING IN NORTHERN-IRELAND

The use of touch is an inherent part of nursing practice. This investi gation examined the amount and type of touch received by elderly patie nts from nurses. It also attempted to assess elderly patients' percept ions of instrumental and expressive touch given by nurses. The Extende d Model of Interpersonal Interaction formed the conceptual framework f or the study. Non-participant observation and semi-structured intervie ws were the methods employed for data collection. Results tentatively suggest that most nurse-patient touch interactions in a care of the el derly ward are instrumental in nature. Expressive touches are predomin antly given to body extremities. The gender of the nurse initiating to uch and the part of the body touched influence the elderly patients' p erception of the touch interaction. In particular, expressive touching behaviours by nurses that involve the leg, face and around the should ers are perceived as uncomfortable. The only touching behaviour percei ved as comfortable by all respondents was instrumental touching of the arm and shoulder by a female nurse. Elderly patients may misinterpret the goal or the motivation behind touch initiation by a nurse. Theref ore, an awareness and a sensitivity towards elderly patients' needs an d desires for tactile communication are required by nurses.