| It has been more than ten years since I took my | | | | support or assist their patients. As a nursing |
| first Reiki class, and I have used Reiki in all aspects of | | | | intervention, Reiki certainly falls into the comfort |
| my life, every day since. My life is so much richer for | | | | measure category, like providing reassurance, hand, |
| it that I simply cannot imagine my world without this | | | | back, and foot massages, repositioning and turning. |
| valuable life tool. I used Usui and Karuna Reiki in a | | | | However, because of lack of written policy and |
| very specific way over a period of two years in my | | | | procedure, I could not use Reiki as a nursing |
| professional role with one of the largest and oldest | | | | intervention in my position as a Registered Nurse |
| hospice programs in Florida. I am a Registered Nurse, | | | | representing hospice in the hospital. |
| and I functioned as a Community Educator for | | | | There are hospitals and nursing facilities that have |
| hospice. | | | | written policy and procedures pertaining to Reiki. The |
| As a community educator I provided hospice | | | | policies and procedures provide guidelines and |
| information to physicians, nurses, patients and | | | | protocol, which standardize the provision of Reiki in a |
| families. I discovered Reiki could be used in many | | | | clinical setting such as a hospital. |
| situations to assist me in meeting job requirements | | | | I removed my hospice name badge to reinforce that |
| and in creating a more peaceful and compassionate | | | | I was not there representing the hospital or the |
| environment for the patients and their families. Reiki | | | | hospice. I elevated the hospital bed to a comfortable |
| also helped me function as a good colleague and | | | | height for me. I simply placed one hand on her |
| hospice team member. | | | | shoulder and with my other hand I held her hand. I |
| Understanding Hospice | | | | had already activated Distant Reiki from my car to |
| Unless you have been involved with hospice, it is | | | | send the energy ahead into the patient's room. I |
| difficult to imagine the level of complexity, the depth | | | | mentally called on Reiki energy once again. |
| of emotion, and the degree of stress associated with | | | | My hands immediately became very hot. I talked with |
| it from both the patients and families' perspective | | | | the patient in a quiet voice. I saw in my mind's eye |
| and that of hospice staff. The importance and | | | | the image of a beautiful garden; I immediately asked |
| usefulness of Reiki becomes highly significant in such | | | | the patient if she liked flowers and gardening. She |
| a climate. | | | | said she did and that she missed her garden at home |
| Often I was the first person from the hospice team | | | | very much. As I talked with her, the peaceful Reiki |
| to meet and talk with a patient and family after the | | | | energy seemed to fill up the room. |
| physician had informed them that cure of the disease | | | | Her labored breathing quieted and slowed down. Her |
| was no longer an appropriate goal. One of my | | | | face softened. The muscles in her neck relaxed. I |
| responsibilities was to determine if the patient and | | | | encouraged her to keep her eyes closed and take a |
| family were appropriate for admission to hospice. I | | | | mental stroll through the flower garden she loved. I |
| then gave them the information they needed so that | | | | told her to receive all the Reiki energy she wanted. |
| they could decide if hospice care was appropriate for | | | | There was no limit. |
| them. I also assessed the patient and family's | | | | Within five minutes she was asleep. I tiptoed out of |
| physical, emotional and spiritual needs. As you can | | | | the room. Her daughter followed me. She had tears in |
| imagine, switching goals of care from cure to palliative | | | | her eyes and reached out her arms to hug me. She |
| (controlling symptoms and focus on quality of life in | | | | was very grateful and so was I. I was grateful that |
| lieu of cure) is often viewed as a failure. It was | | | | once again, the energy of light and love, through |
| critical that I be a good listener, observer, and | | | | Reiki, helped me and helped others. |
| problem solver. | | | | With Reiki there is always something we can do. Reiki |
| From a nursing perspective, anything that can help | | | | always works for the highest and best good for all. |
| me be fully present, provide excellent nursing | | | | The above experience was a dramatic demonstration |
| assessment skills, and be more compassionate and | | | | of the ability of the Reiki energy to calm, quiet and |
| caring is invaluable. I wanted families to understand | | | | provide a sense of peace. The patient went from |
| the unique hospice goals of care, allaying fears, and | | | | panic to peace in five minutes. Nurses know that |
| offering hope, albeit a redefined kind of hope. This | | | | healing can happen when an environment is created |
| redefined hope was extremely important, and | | | | where patients and families are calmer, fears are |
| required a sensitive balance. Sometimes it seemed a | | | | allayed, and a sense of peace prevails. |
| daunting task. But with Reiki it became easier for me. | | | | End of Life And Reiki |
| Reiki In The Parking Lot | | | | I have been with many patients when they have |
| When my hospice colleagues in the admissions office | | | | made their transitions. The majority of those death |
| dispatched me to see a patient, I always spent a | | | | experiences were through my professional work with |
| few minutes in my car before going into the hospital. | | | | hospice. As a nurse I was always mindful of informed |
| Sitting quietly, I would close my eyes, say my | | | | consent and lack of policy and procedure to support |
| prayers and align with Universal Light and Love. My | | | | using Reiki as a nursing intervention. Even though in |
| intention was to be of service. I activated the Power | | | | most instances I was not able to give the patients |
| symbol to increase the power of Reiki and to focus | | | | the experience of Reiki, I learned early on the value |
| energy on the upcoming visit. I placed the Power | | | | of using it on myself. |
| symbol over each of my chakras. This increased my | | | | Nevertheless, I was gifted with other opportunities |
| energy of light and love. To clear my mind, I used | | | | to use Reiki to support someone experiencing the |
| the Mental/ Emotional symbol. This symbol helped me | | | | death process. Harry was one of those gifts. He |
| be more mindful of resources, a more accurate | | | | called me to come to his home to do a Reiki session. |
| observer and more effective communicator, all crucial | | | | He had experienced Reiki while he was stationed in |
| to the quality of experience for the patient's family | | | | Hawaii and several other times recently. A friend of |
| and to all involved in the patient's care. | | | | the family who was a client of mine had given him |
| The final step before leaving my car was activation | | | | my name. I visited him as a Certified Holistic Nurse |
| of the Distant Healing symbol. This sacred symbol | | | | and a Reiki Master. |
| carries the energy of divine consciousness. It can be | | | | Harry told me that he was ready to die. He believed |
| expressed with the familiar statement, "We Are All | | | | he had lived a wonderful life. He had no regrets. He |
| One." I used this symbol so that the Reiki energy | | | | was concerned about his family watching him slowly |
| would go ahead of me into the hospital room and | | | | deteriorate. Harry asked me to come and help him |
| help create an environment conducive to the best | | | | "slip away" as he phrased it. |
| outcome for the visit. With this final step, I was then | | | | I talked with him about his expectations and his |
| ready to go into the hospital for my scheduled time | | | | family's expectations. I shared with them that Reiki |
| with the patient and family. | | | | would bring a sense of peacefulness and relaxation at |
| Reiki Boosts Confidence | | | | a minimum. Beyond that no one can really predict. I |
| Before I entered the hospital room, I would stop for | | | | also shared with them my belief that healing always |
| a moment to again consciously activate the Power | | | | happens at some level with Reiki. When the body |
| symbol to focus my presence in the moment. When | | | | cannot be healed, the mind, the emotions and spirit |
| I entered the room, I was confident that I could be | | | | can. |
| fully present and available to look, listen, and provide | | | | I arrived at Harry's home and performed my parking |
| appropriate hope. Reiki gave me confidence that I | | | | lot ritual in the driveway. I activated all the Usui and |
| could support the patient and the family, have | | | | Karuna Reiki® symbols that I had learned, prayed |
| unconditional regard for them, be more | | | | and asked for the highest good to be manifested. |
| compassionate and kind and help them to begin the | | | | Again, I used the Power symbol on my own body. |
| process of redefining hope. | | | | Harry's hospital bed was in the living room, looking |
| In healthcare today, it is relatively easy to become | | | | out over the Gulf of Mexico. He had a breathtaking |
| distracted, overworked, and overburdened by the | | | | panoramic view of white sand beach and emerald |
| volume of paper work and the sheer number of | | | | green water. The sun was preparing to set, creating |
| patients and families assigned. Sometimes we forget | | | | a surreal light that streamed through the floor to |
| that there is always something we can do, even | | | | ceiling windows. Many family and friends were |
| when a cure is not possible. In Reiki I discovered an | | | | gathered around him. |
| invaluable tool to assist my focus and awareness, | | | | I pulled a chair up to his bedside, and Harry and I |
| mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. | | | | talked a bit. He was very weak, but aware. He said |
| A Busy Day At The Hospital | | | | he had no pain. I put some soft music on the little |
| I spoke with the hospital case manager one morning | | | | portable CD player that I had brought with me and lit |
| about a patient and her daughter who had been | | | | a candle. |
| referred to me for a hospice consult. I recognized | | | | I explained the logistics of the session to Harry and |
| the name as someone who had taken one of my | | | | told him not to worry about falling asleep. I |
| Reiki training classes. She had cancer of the lung. I | | | | encouraged him to go ahead and allow the Reiki |
| read the chart, and she seemed appropriate for | | | | energy to flow into him. This was his time to receive. |
| hospice care. The Mental/Emotional symbol, which I | | | | I thanked him for the honor of sharing this time with |
| had previously activated in my car, was extremely | | | | him. He squeezed my hand. |
| helpful in my review of the detailed medical record. I | | | | The energy of that Reiki session was intense. A few |
| realized there were several medication changes that | | | | seconds after I began the session, in my minds eye, |
| could help the patient be more comfortable. | | | | I saw one of the Karuna Reiki symbols. This symbol |
| I walked into the hospital room, and the patient and | | | | is associated with the flow of life and the process of |
| her daughter were very happy to see me. The | | | | letting go. It brings peace into the now moment and |
| patient was having difficulty breathing. It was not life | | | | helps free one from worry. It is about trust. It was |
| threatening, but she was become increasingly upset, | | | | as if the room were filled with rainbows. Harry drifted |
| anxious and frustrated. I could see if she did not | | | | off to sleep with a smile on his face. |
| relax, her breathing difficulty would increase. I also | | | | The session lasted about 40 minutes. I still recall the |
| knew I would not be able to talk with her regarding | | | | presence of peace that permeated the room. I left |
| hospice unless she could breathe more easily. | | | | Harry still smiling with his eyes closed. The family was |
| I located the nurse who was assigned to this patient. | | | | eager to speak with me. I spent another 30 minutes |
| He had given her all the medication he could give her | | | | talking with them. They loved Harry very much and |
| and the oxygen was at its maximum liter flow. He | | | | were grateful for the visit. |
| had placed a call to her physician to obtain an order | | | | I arrived home around 8 PM. I was walking in the |
| to increase her oxygen flow rate and for medication | | | | door when my cell phone rang. It was Harry's |
| to aid her breathing. "There is nothing more I can do | | | | daughter telling me that Harry had died about ten |
| until he calls back," he said. | | | | minutes after I left. Harry's original request for Reiki |
| I told the patient and her daughter that I would | | | | to help him "slip away" had happened. I believe the |
| reschedule the visit. The patient looked upset. She | | | | Karuna Reiki symbol that I saw helped create the |
| asked me if I would do Reiki for her before I left. I | | | | peace and trust he needed. And the smile? Who |
| told her I could do Reiki for her as her friend, but not | | | | knows what Harry was seeing in his mind's eye, or |
| in my role as a hospice employee/nurse. I explained | | | | thinking, or feeling that brought a smile to his face at |
| neither hospice nor the hospital had policies and | | | | that particular moment. How blessed we would all be |
| procedures in place for me to do Reiki. | | | | to make our transitions with a smile when the time |
| Reiki is considered a nursing intervention. Nursing | | | | comes. |
| interventions are treatments nurses perform to | | | | |