A review of the literature relating to touch and its use in intensive care

Abstract

This literature review is an exploration of the available literature on and surrounding the subject of touch in order to help nurses to understand this subject and use touch effectively in nursing care. The study is focused particularly on the use of touch in intensive care as this is the area of interest of the author, and several writers have suggested touch is of great importance in this area. The literature on communication in all its forms and particularly in intensive care is discussed first as this explains the framework in which touch occurs and how it fits into nursing care. Theories about touch and studies of the use of touch are linked to try to show the human need, and taboos about touch. This is related to the use of touch by nurses and other health care workers particularly in intensive care. Recommendations are made, from the information gained from the literature, about how nurses' use of touch as part of nursing care can be improved.