Course Description:  Comfort-oriented massage or touch can be administered to people with cancer regardless of the severity of their condition.  In this course, participants will have the opportunity to apply their massage skills with in- and out- patients receiving treatment for cancer.  Massage will be given to people before, during, and after chemotherapy, before and after radiation, and surgical and diagnostic procedures.  Therapists will have a change to use massage to support family caregivers as well. 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• List the benefits of massage for those in treatment for cancer
• List the massage adaptations necessary for people undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy
• Employ standard precautions with patients who are highly immunosuppressed
• Communicate with health care staff
• Record in the medical chart
• Work around hospital furniture and medical devices
• Give comfort-oriented massage to patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, diagnostic procedures, or hospitalized form the side effects of cancer treatment
• Work independently in a medical setting
• Describe the desire to work with people who have cancer

Participants must be able to meet the outcomes which will be assessed by a written exam, instructor observation, and participant self-evaluation.

Enrollment Requirement: The course is open to licensed, certified, or professional massage therapists and bodyworkers certified in other modalities such as reflexology.   All participants must complete Massage for People Living with Cancer and have instructor's  permission.

Participants will be required to:

• Show proof of professional liability insurance
• Show proof of licensure, certification, or course of study
• Release hospital of liability for personal health care needs while in the course (Toledo course)
• Possess current TB screening documentation and show proof of immunity to MMR
• Read the class texts prior to the start of class
  • Medicine Hands (Findhorn Press) by Gayle MacDonald
  • Massage for the Hospital Patient and Medically Frail Client (Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins) by Gayle MacDonald
  • Healing into Life and Death (Anchor Books) by Stephen Levine
• Meet hospital dress and grooming standards, HIPAA regulations, and safety knowledge and pass a background check
• Meet the physical and emotional rigors of an 8-hour hospital day; approximately half of days 3-5 will be spent giving massage
• Have access to e-mail

Course Overview: Massage in the Oncology Setting is a 35 hour course conducted over five 8-hour days in the hospital.  Following is an overview of each day:

Day 1- Introductions, review of clinical information related to the medical setting, hands-on practice focusing on use of light pressure, and giving seated massage to family caregivers.

Day 2- Orientation to the hospital, standard precautions, working around hospital furniture, charting, and a foot massage with an in-patient.

Days 3 and 4 - Rotation in the morning through one of the out-patient units and afternoon in the in-patient unit.  Working with family caregivers, as there is time.  Participants will be supervised by an instructor and assistant instructor.

Day 5 - Independent work; closure.

Fees: Total tuition - $750.  Deposit to hold a spot - $200 (which applies towards the tuition.)  The deposit is non-refundable.  However, if a student must drop the class and the instructor is able to fill the spot, 80% of the deposit will be refunded. 

Look at the Class Schedule to see current offerings of this course.