This art, a "Love" silk wall hanging, is one example of many pieces of art created during an Art Infusion (AI) intervention with family members and cancer patients. An "Art at the Bedside" program, instituted by two nurses at a regional comprehensive cancer center, was designed to promote family and patient well-being during patient treatment. A bilingual (Spanish and English) nurse/artist team took the AI to the bedside via a rolling "ArtKart" and assisted family members and patients to participate and create "art". Field notes (n=230) supported that the AI facilitated holistic communication as family members collaborated while they created words of art expressing delight and joy as they became more immersed in the creative activities. Nurses felt a renewed and different sense of connectedness with families as they watched and became involved in the art, making suggestions and/or communicating with families about their creations. Participating BSN students noted that the AI facilitated an experience of mutuality of caring with families and between families and staff. Statistical results from a pre-post test research component of the program supported that family caregivers (n=49) experienced significant positive changes with lower anxiety (p=.000), decreased stress (p=.000) and positive emotions (p=.000) following the AI. Future research plans are to add salivary cortisol to measure levels of stress physiologically. One RN-BSN student has received funds to institute the program at another health care facility. Additional plans are underway to implement the program at a children's hospital and a wellness center.
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