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Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards: All Talk and No Action?
I hear through the grapevine ...
National Small Business Week
The 50th anniversary of the ...
A Change for the Better at the Massage Therapy Foundation and AMTA
This past week the Massage ...

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ABOUT MT AUTHOR GUIDELINES CLASSIFIEDS EDITORIAL CALENDAR MEDIA GUIDE MASSAGE MART SCHOOLS & EDUCATION FEEDBACK
Alternative Health News
Economics of Complementary/Integrative Care
Although this column doesn't usually feature a book review, we're going outside of our usual public health format to discuss a new book written by Patricia Herman ND, PhD.
Calcium Supplements and Mortality
When the National Institutes of Health's AARP Diet and Health Study reported that men who took calcium supplements had a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared those who didn't, it was the third large cohort in six months with alarming findings regarding calcium supplements.

Spinal-Cord Injuries: Saying No to Steroids
With steroids, epidural and otherwise, in the news lately for their overuse when treating back pain (and their danger when tainted by fungal meningitis), it was high time for a policy change, and we've got one, from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Helping Infertility Patients with the Spirit Essence
As many of you know, when it comes to treating infertility, we are dealing with a patient population that is, generally speaking, in emotional turmoil. These patients often experience fear, anxiety, despair, hopelessness, grief and anger.
We Get Letters & E-Mail
Passing Over a Fertile Niche; I Treat Segmental Dysfunction.
Chiropractic Research: A Moral Issue
This year I've had the opportunity to go to three great chiropractic research conferences; the ACC-RAC, the Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS) Congress and the World Federation of Chiropractic Congress.
Telecommuting and Technology: Ergonomic and Worker's Comp Considerations
As our world becomes more and more reliant on technology, equipment becomes more dependable and we become increasingly more comfortable with e-mail, the fax machine, the Internet and the smartphone, it is becoming easier and easier to work away from the office.
Exercises for Back Pain: Low-Compression Training Program
This program is intended for two groups of people: 1) those who want to engage in resistance exercises for the major regions of their body without developing back pain in the process; and 2) those who already have back pain and want to do resistance exercises, but consistently re-irritate their back when trying to do so.
There Are No Secrets: Treating Complicated Conditions with TCM
Including standardized extra points, there are just over 400 acupuncture points on the body. You get 400 and I get 400 - same. Yet, time and time again treatment protocols are coveted as if they were some secret formula only intended for the right and privileged.
Healing Leaders

Energy is a hot commodity. Society pays dearly for it and for the expertise of those who know how to cultivate it.


The Pallof Press for Core Stability Evaluation
Many people become injured because of instability, weakness and poor neural-sequencing patterns in the core. Lack of bracing and support from the inner core cylinder during coronal and transverse movements makes the body vulnerable to compensation injuries.
Herbal Medicine: Go Mainstream
When it comes to practicing herbal medicine in a mainstream setting, there are a number of important points to understand when it comes to prescribing formulas. Some important questions to ask are - what method of prescribing and dispensing is most effective in this setting?
Repeating Bone-Density Tests
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women older than age 65 undergo bone-density testing. However, organizations in general have not stated when repeat bone-density testing should be done.

History Repeating Itself in Wisconsin?
Thirteen years ago, the Wisconsin Chiropractic Association (WCA) "agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that [the association] orchestrated a conspiracy among WCA members to increase prices for chiropractic services and to boycott third-party payers to obtain higher reimbursement rates."
Helping Patients Through Pregnancy Loss
There is a lot of focus in the acupuncture world on fertility and helping women get pregnant. It's exhilarating to hear the news that a patient is expecting a baby. The other side of that is pregnancy loss. That includes abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth.
Wisconsin Exam in the Spotlight
You've passed your national boards with flying colors, including Part IV, the practical examination, at a combined cost of more than $3,000.
Medical Payola (Part 2)
Not only has Medtronic made billions selling expensive screws and hardware for highly controversial spine fusions, but a Senate investigation also found Medtronic felt compelled to write and edit medical journal articles attributed to outside physicians that downplayed the risks of the company's best-selling bone graft, Infuse.
Business Building: What's Your Strategy?
I know some in our profession love to debate about whether or not spinal curvatures change as a result of our chiropractic adjustment, but I have a question that hits a little more close to the belt than that: Are chiropractors capable of change?
The Spirits of the Points: The Gall Bladder Official
The Gall Bladder is known as The Official of Decision Making and Judgment. In any given day, this Official makes countless decisions – conscious and unconscious, which influence every aspect of our being.
Covering Chiropractic as a Profession, Not a Single Service
Recently Dynamic Chiropractic published a front-page article about various state essential health benefits and referred to Oregon and four other states not currently providing chiropractic as a covered benefit.
Happenings in Our Evolving Profession
Good things seem to be happening for our profession and recent developments show we are all on board. Talking about being on board, this September The Veterans Express-Purple Heart Tour is expected to make its way out of the station.
Evidence-Informed Practice?
In a previous column, I discussed the history and definition of evidence-based practice (EBP), and expressed concerns with how the concept has been narrowly construed by some academics and payers.

A Freebie
Let's face it – patient evaluation takes time. Unless you are really into the diagnostic evaluation game, you probably have found the formal exam protocol tedious if not downright annoying.
You are What You Eat Part II: Integrative Protocols
In the previous installment of this article I discussed important ideas concerning gastrointestinal health and foundational ideas from TCM, which can provide key insights into creating effective protocols for healing the gut.
News in Brief
Cancer Treatment Centers of America Continues Support of Chiropractic; ACBOH Announces 2013 Practical, Written Exam Dates; PCORI Approves Funding for Research on Spinal Stenosis; Macquarie University to Cease Offering Chiropractic Program.
Peer Points: Stories of Practice Success
When patients go see Arizona-based acupuncturist Jing Liu, it is to get top care from an practitioner well versed in all aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Massage Today
March, 2012, Vol. 12, Issue 03

Association Looking for New Members

By Kathryn Feather, Senior Associate Editor

The National Association of Nurse Massage Therapists (NANMT) is looking for a few good members, according to new Board President, Judy Dean, RN, DS, NCBMB, CHt. The NANMT was organized in 1992 and experienced several years of growth but has since seen a drop in membership. A new board in now in place and is looking to grow the association once again.

Dean, a former Director and Chair of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, said her goal "is to support the state boards in the trend of supporting nurse massage therapists in their scope of practice." In order to do this, her "first goal is to increase membership. We're taking a look at everything to make sure there is agreement in terms of our purpose and broadening the appeal and message to others in the field who engage in touch therapy." Dean also shared that, "the intent of our presence in health care is to have nurse massage therapy recognized as a specialty in the nursing profession. We want to ultimately make a strong push to get recognized by the state nursing boards."

In addition to Dean, the new board consists of Jamie Listebarger, RN, LMT, as Vice President and Andy Bernay-Roman, MS, CMT, and the original founder of the NANMT will serve as Secretary/Treasurer. According to the new leadership, the first steps include assessing and formulating various structural and logistical changes to redevelop a strong, active and viable membership driven organization. The NANMT currently participates in fund raising events, distributes a newsletter, provides a source of referral and collaboration to nurses and non-nursing colleagues and interacts with legislators as to the role of the nurse massage therapist in the health care setting.

nurse The NANMT philosophy is stated as, "Nurse Massage Therapy is grounded in nursing theory and implemented within the context of the nursing process. It possesses a specialized body of knowledge and therefore represents a distinct specialty in professional nursing practice. Nurse Massage Therapists provide professional services in various practice settings and receive fair reimbursement for their services. Nurse Massage Therapy affirms nursing as both an art and a science whose primary purpose is to provide health care services that nurture and strengthen clients' ability to heal themselves. Nurse Massage Therapy provides a holistic approach to health care, which is needed to balance the trend toward impersonal, technological-oriented health care. Using a variety of touch therapies, the Nurse Massage Therapist acts as a catalyst to facilitate clients' ability to heal themselves. NANMT members are committed to integrating massage and bodywork into various settings of contemporary nursing practice and health care. We work cooperatively with other health care professionals and with other nursing and massage/bodywork organizations. NANMT members maintain a high level of integrity and accountability consistent with the NANMT Code of Ethics and Bylaws, and adhere to the laws and legal scope of practice set forth by the regulatory nursing agency where they practice, as well as the Standards of Practice for the Nurse Massage Therapist."

NANMT members provide touch therapy to hospital in-patient, out-patient and in community settings; as private practitioners within health oriented agencies; as researchers collecting data regarding the impact of touch therapy on vulnerable populations; teaching the process of incorporating touch therapies to nursing students and caregivers and presenting at national educational programs. Membership dues are currently $100 per year for active members and $55 for students. And with more and more hospitals looking to include alternative therapies such as massage, nurse massage therapists could be in demand. A January 2012 article in the Los Angeles Times noted the increased trend in offering massage. According to the Times article, "experts say hospitals are embracing these therapies for many reasons, including a growing recognition that some integrative therapies...are very effective in certain instances."

If you are a nurse massage therapist or a student interested in incorporating touch therapy into your skill set, send your suggestions and ideas to the NANMT, as they work to get this association back to the forefront of the nursing and massage professions. As the board reminds existing and potential members, "your input impacts the future of your organization, as well as the acceptance of integrating your specialized touch therapies into nursing and the broader health care arena."

According to Dean, the NANMT currently has approximately 100 members but "more membership means a louder voice."

To learn more about the NANMT and become a member, visit their web site at www.nanmt.org.

 

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