Withlacoochee Technical Institute
AMTA NMTAW
"Action Research Project"
On October 29th, 2009 Withlacoochee Technical Institute massage therapy students participated in the 4th annual W.T.I. AMTA NMTAW Action Research Project. Fifteen students spent weeks planning, preparing and finally participating in a fully fledged research project to answer the following question: "Which method decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure; a 15 minute chair massage or sitting down for 15 minutes?" With the help of Registered Nurses and the Director of Citrus Memorials Women's Heart Program we were able to complete this action research project.
A total of 80 participants went through multiple stages of the project. The first stage of the project was completing the AMTA NMTAW Intake Form and a Medical History Report, provided by Citrus Memorials Women's Heart Program. While going through this stage participants that had a randomly placed yellow highlighted "control group" slip on their paperwork would be placed in the control group that would sit out for 15 minutes after their first blood pressure reading.
Designated W.T.I. students, referred to as Floaters, would move participants to the second stage which was the blood pressure station. Registered Nurses from the Citrus Memorial's Women's Heart Program would take a pre blood pressure screening on the participants left arm and document the participants blood pressure on the participants BP Form.
Floaters would then move the participant to the third station, either the 15 minute chair massage station or 15 minute seated control group station. Both groups would receive a post blood pressure screening on the participants left arm, while remaining seated, at the end of 15 minutes and the participants blood pressure was documented on the participants BP Form by the Registered Nurses from Citrus Memorial's Women's Heart Program.
Finally Floaters would move the participant to the fourth station, the exit survey station, where W.T.I. students would collect BP Forms and ask participants to complete a survey on the 15 minute chair massage.
Overall the experience for the students of the W.T.I. Massage Therapy Program was an excellent learning opportunity. The students planned, prepared and now have answers to the question "Which method decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure; a 15 minute chair massage or sitting down for 15 minutes?"
Jeffery B. Wood LMT, COTA/L, B.S.
W.T.I. Massage Therapy Program Director
Participating W.T.I. Students:
Emily Bauer
Jamie Bussell
Kimberly Canfield
Sara Denny
Bradley Fye
Sarah Green
Ashley Heitman
Jason Krick- AMTA Student Member
Herbert Mack
Heather Mills
Lisa Mills
Sharon Munroe- AMTA Student Member
Sheryl Niemiec
Krystle O'Toole
Jessica Spiddle
AMTA NMTAW
"Action Research Project"
On October 29th, 2009 Withlacoochee Technical Institute massage therapy students participated in the 4th annual W.T.I. AMTA NMTAW Action Research Project. Fifteen students spent weeks planning, preparing and finally participating in a fully fledged research project to answer the following question: "Which method decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure; a 15 minute chair massage or sitting down for 15 minutes?" With the help of Registered Nurses and the Director of Citrus Memorials Women's Heart Program we were able to complete this action research project.
A total of 80 participants went through multiple stages of the project. The first stage of the project was completing the AMTA NMTAW Intake Form and a Medical History Report, provided by Citrus Memorials Women's Heart Program. While going through this stage participants that had a randomly placed yellow highlighted "control group" slip on their paperwork would be placed in the control group that would sit out for 15 minutes after their first blood pressure reading.
Designated W.T.I. students, referred to as Floaters, would move participants to the second stage which was the blood pressure station. Registered Nurses from the Citrus Memorial's Women's Heart Program would take a pre blood pressure screening on the participants left arm and document the participants blood pressure on the participants BP Form.
Floaters would then move the participant to the third station, either the 15 minute chair massage station or 15 minute seated control group station. Both groups would receive a post blood pressure screening on the participants left arm, while remaining seated, at the end of 15 minutes and the participants blood pressure was documented on the participants BP Form by the Registered Nurses from Citrus Memorial's Women's Heart Program.
Finally Floaters would move the participant to the fourth station, the exit survey station, where W.T.I. students would collect BP Forms and ask participants to complete a survey on the 15 minute chair massage.
Overall the experience for the students of the W.T.I. Massage Therapy Program was an excellent learning opportunity. The students planned, prepared and now have answers to the question "Which method decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure; a 15 minute chair massage or sitting down for 15 minutes?"
Jeffery B. Wood LMT, COTA/L, B.S.
W.T.I. Massage Therapy Program Director
Participating W.T.I. Students:
Emily Bauer
Jamie Bussell
Kimberly Canfield
Sara Denny
Bradley Fye
Sarah Green
Ashley Heitman
Jason Krick- AMTA Student Member
Herbert Mack
Heather Mills
Lisa Mills
Sharon Munroe- AMTA Student Member
Sheryl Niemiec
Krystle O'Toole
Jessica Spiddle
