In brief
A 2015 Indonesian literature-based essay argues that hypnotherapy, used as a complementary nursing method, can reduce moderate post-traumatic stress in disaster survivors, an idea worth exploring but presented without original data and best verified against stronger evidence.
What this article is about
Quick Answer
A 2015 Indonesian literature-based essay argues that hypnotherapy, used as a complementary nursing method, can reduce moderate post-traumatic stress in disaster survivors, an idea worth exploring but presented without original data and best verified against stronger evidence.
Student takeaways
Key Takeaways
- The paper is a descriptive, literature-based essay (karya tulis ilmiah), not an experimental study; its conclusions come from reviewing relevant literature rather than from original patient data.
- The authors state that disasters are highly prevalent in Indonesia and that post-traumatic stress is a common psychological consequence for disaster survivors.
- The abstract frames nurses as having an important role within Indonesia's integrated emergency management system (SPGDT), particularly during the rehabilitation phase.
- The authors describe hypnotherapy as working by giving clients positive suggestions intended to promote constructive coping mechanisms.
- Based on their literature review, the authors conclude that hypnotherapy as a complementary nursing method is 'very effective' for reducing moderate-level post-traumatic stress, and they call for further study of factors that influence its outcomes.
Student summary
Why This Research Matters
This article is an Indonesian scholarly essay (karya tulis ilmiah) published in Jurnal Keperawatan in 2015 by Rani Rakhmawati and colleagues. Its purpose is to explore whether hypnotherapy, used as a complementary nursing method, can help reduce the effects of moderate-level post-traumatic stress during the rehabilitation phase of Indonesia's integrated emergency management system (Sistem Penanggulangan Kegawatdaruratan Terpadu, or SPGDT). It is important to understand from the start that this is a descriptive, literature-based paper rather than an experimental study. The authors did not run a clinical trial, recruit patients, or measure outcomes with statistics. Instead, they reviewed relevant published literature, used exposition and analytic methods, and shaped their argument through group discussion grounded in that literature.
The background the authors describe is that disasters occur frequently in Indonesia, and one of their common consequences is psychological harm to survivors, including post-traumatic stress. Nurses, they argue, play an important role within the SPGDT, especially in the rehabilitation phase after the immediate emergency has passed. The paper frames hypnotherapy as a complementary approach that nurses could contribute to this phase of care.
According to the authors, hypnotherapy works by giving the client positive suggestions while in a relaxed, focused state. The idea is that these suggestions can encourage constructive coping mechanisms, helping a person respond to distressing memories and feelings in healthier ways. Based on their reading of the literature, the authors conclude that hypnotherapy as a complementary nursing method is 'very effective' for reducing moderate-level post-traumatic stress. They also recommend further study of the other factors that may influence how well hypnotherapy works.
For a nursing student, the most important thing to take from this paper is the difference between a conclusion drawn from a narrative literature review and evidence from a controlled study. The authors' statement that hypnotherapy is 'very effective' is their interpretation of existing writing on the topic, not a measured result with a sample size, comparison group, or effect size. That does not mean the idea is wrong, but it does mean the claim should be treated cautiously and checked against higher-quality evidence such as randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews before it guides practice.
There are also safety and scope considerations. Post-traumatic stress is a serious mental health condition, and trauma-informed care means approaching survivors gently, prioritizing their sense of safety and control, and avoiding anything that could re-traumatize them. Hypnotherapy is a specialized skill; where it is used, it should be delivered by appropriately trained and credentialed practitioners working within their scope, and it should complement, not replace, established evidence-based trauma treatments. Nurses reading this paper should remember that complementary therapies are additions to standard care, and that any patient with significant trauma symptoms deserves proper assessment and, when needed, referral to mental health specialists.
The paper is useful as a starting point for thinking about the nurse's role in disaster mental-health recovery and about how complementary methods might fit into that role. It highlights a genuine need: survivors of disasters often carry psychological wounds long after physical wounds heal, and rehabilitation-phase care should attend to both. It also reflects the reality that nurses are often present and trusted during recovery, giving them a meaningful opportunity to support coping.
At the same time, the essay's limitations are important. Because it is descriptive and based on literature rather than original data, it cannot tell us how much hypnotherapy helps, for whom, under what conditions, or whether its benefits last. The available metadata is thin, and the abstract does not describe which studies were reviewed or how they were selected. Students should therefore read this article as an argument and a call for further research rather than as proof. It invites nurses to consider hypnotherapy thoughtfully, appraise the underlying evidence critically, and always ground trauma care in patient safety, cultural sensitivity, and established clinical guidelines.
Source abstract
Study Overview
METODE KEPERAWATAN KOMPLEMENTER HIPNOTERAPI UNTUK MENURUNKAN EFEK STRESS PASCA TRAUMA TINGKAT SEDANG PADA FASE REHABILITASI SISTEM PENANGGULANGAN KEGAWATDARURATAN TERPADU (SPGDT) Hypnotherapy complementary nursing method can reduce the effects of moderate levels of post traumatic stress in a rehabilitation phase of integrated emergency management system
Rani Rakhmawati(1) , Kuswantoro Rusca Putra(2) , Fa Rizki Bayu Perdana(3), Hardiyanto(4)
(1)Program Studi Ilmu Keperawatan Fakultas Ilmu Kesehatan Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang(2)Jurusan Keperawatan Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Brawijaya Malang(3,4)Pascasarjana Jurusan Keperawatan Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Brawijaya Malangemail : 1)[email protected]
ABSTRAK
Bencana di Indonesia mempunyai prevalensi yang cukup tinggi. Efek yang ditimbulkan dari bencana diantaranya stress pasca trauma yang merupakan gangguan psikologi dari korban bencana. Sebagai tenaga kesehatan terutama dalam hal ini adalah perawat mempunyai peranan penting dalam Sistem Penanggulangan Kegawatdaruratan Terpadu (SPGDT), Tujuan dari penulisan karya ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi apakah metode hipnoterapi bisa menurunkan efek stress pasca trauma tingkat sedang. Metode penulisan karya tulis ini adalah dengan deskriptif dan metode pengumpulan datanya menggunakan metode studi pustaka melalui literatur yang relevan. Sedangkan metode analisis data dan pemecahan masalah menggunakan metode eksposisi dan analitik serta rumusan masalah kami dapatkan dengan diskusi kelompok berlandaskan literatur yang relevan dengan topik karya tulis. Hipnoterapi ini menitikberatkan pada pemberian sugesti-sugesti positif pada klien yang akan menimbulkan perilaku mekanisme koping konstruktif pada klien. Kesimpulan dari karya tulis ini adalah metode keperawatan komplementer dengan hipnoterapi sangat efektif untuk menurunkan stress tingkat sedang pada stress pasca trauma. Disarankan untuk dilakukan pengkajian lebih lanjut terkait faktor-faktor lain yang mempengaruhi hasil terapi pada hipnoterapi ini.
Kata kunci: Metode Keperawatan komplementer, Hipnoterapi , Efek stress pasca trauma
ABSTRACT
Disaster in Indonesia has a high prevalence. The effects of the disaster such as post traumatic stress disorder which is the psychology of disaster victims. As health professionals, especially in this case the nurse has an important role in Sistem Penanggulangan Kegawatdaruratan Terpadu (SPGDT). The purpose of this paper is to identify whether the method of hypnotherapy can reduce the effects of moderate levels of post traumatic stress. The writing method of this paper is descriptive and data collection method is using literature through the relevant literature. While the data analysis and problem solving is using exposition and analytical method and formulation of the problem we get from a group of discussion based on the relevant literature to the topic of paper. Hypnotherapy is focused on providing positive suggestions in client that will lead to constructive behavior on the client’s coping mechanisms. The conclusion of this paper is hypnotherapy as complementary nursing was very effective for moderate stage of post traumatic stress disorder. It is recommended to do further study related to other factors that influence the outcome of hypnotherapy.
Keywords: Complementary nursing therapies, Hypnotherapy, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Evidence appraisal
Main Findings
- The paper is a descriptive, literature-based essay (karya tulis ilmiah), not an experimental study; its conclusions come from reviewing relevant literature rather than from original patient data.
- The authors state that disasters are highly prevalent in Indonesia and that post-traumatic stress is a common psychological consequence for disaster survivors.
- The abstract frames nurses as having an important role within Indonesia's integrated emergency management system (SPGDT), particularly during the rehabilitation phase.
- The authors describe hypnotherapy as working by giving clients positive suggestions intended to promote constructive coping mechanisms.
- Based on their literature review, the authors conclude that hypnotherapy as a complementary nursing method is 'very effective' for reducing moderate-level post-traumatic stress, and they call for further study of factors that influence its outcomes.
Practice transfer
Clinical Relevance
- Treat the paper's 'very effective' conclusion cautiously: because it comes from a narrative literature review without a sample or comparison group, nurses should verify claims against higher-quality evidence before applying them.
- Complementary therapies such as hypnotherapy should be used as additions to, not replacements for, established evidence-based trauma care.
- Where hypnotherapy is offered, it should be delivered by appropriately trained and credentialed practitioners working within their scope of practice.
- Disaster survivors with trauma symptoms deserve thorough assessment and timely referral to mental health specialists when indicated.
- Trauma-informed principles, prioritizing safety, choice, and avoiding re-traumatization, should guide any psychological support offered during the rehabilitation phase.
Faculty notes
Educational Relevance
This 2015 Indonesian journal article is best used in class as a teaching example of evidence appraisal rather than as a source of clinical evidence. It is a descriptive, literature-based essay (karya tulis ilmiah) arguing that hypnotherapy, as a complementary nursing method, can reduce moderate post-traumatic stress during the rehabilitation phase of Indonesia's integrated emergency response system (SPGDT). The authors reviewed relevant literature and concluded hypnotherapy is 'very effective,' but they present no sample, comparison group, or measured outcomes. The teaching angle is the gap between a narrative-review conclusion and empirical proof. Ask students to identify what kind of study this is, what claims it can and cannot support, and where it sits on an evidence hierarchy. Use it to practice separating a paper's background rationale from its actual findings, and to discuss why a confident word like 'effective' requires scrutiny of study design. The article also opens discussion of the nurse's role in disaster mental-health recovery, complementary therapies as adjuncts (not replacements) to evidence-based trauma care, scope of practice and credentialing for hypnotherapy, and trauma-informed principles. Instructors can pair it with a randomized trial or systematic review on trauma interventions so students contrast evidence levels directly. Because the metadata is thin and the abstract omits methods detail, it is also a useful prompt for discussing publication quality and the limits of what an abstract alone can tell a clinician.
Critical appraisal
Limitations
- The paper is descriptive and literature-based, so it cannot establish how much hypnotherapy helps, for whom, or whether benefits last.
- No sample size, comparison group, statistics, or effect sizes are reported.
- The abstract does not describe which studies were reviewed or how they were selected, limiting transparency.
Classroom use
Discussion Questions
- What type of paper is this, and how does that shape the kinds of claims it can support?
- Why is it important to distinguish a narrative-review conclusion from evidence produced by a controlled trial?
- How would you locate and appraise higher-quality evidence on hypnotherapy or other interventions for post-traumatic stress?
- What does 'complementary' mean in nursing, and how should complementary therapies relate to standard care?
- What trauma-informed principles would you apply when supporting disaster survivors during rehabilitation?
- What scope-of-practice and credentialing questions arise before a nurse uses or refers for hypnotherapy?
- How might the nurse's role differ across the emergency, acute, and rehabilitation phases of disaster response?
- What cultural and contextual factors, for example in an Indonesian disaster setting, might influence how survivors respond to psychological interventions?
- What additional information would you want from the full paper before trusting its conclusion?
- How could a future study be designed to test whether hypnotherapy reduces moderate post-traumatic stress more rigorously?
Knowledge check
Quiz
1. What kind of paper is this article?
- A descriptive, literature-based essay
- A randomized controlled trial
- A systematic review with meta-analysis
- A prospective cohort study
Rationale: The abstract describes a descriptive method using literature study, not an experiment or systematic review.
2. According to the abstract, what psychological consequence of disasters does the paper focus on?
- Post-traumatic stress
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Delirium
Rationale: The authors identify post-traumatic stress as a common psychological effect on disaster survivors.
3. How do the authors describe the way hypnotherapy works?
- By giving positive suggestions to promote constructive coping
- By prescribing antidepressant medication
- By using electrical brain stimulation
- By surgically removing traumatic memories
Rationale: The abstract states hypnotherapy focuses on positive suggestions that lead to constructive coping mechanisms.
4. What system does the paper say nurses play an important role in?
- Indonesia's integrated emergency management system (SPGDT)
- The national vaccination program
- A hospital billing system
- A prison rehabilitation program
Rationale: The abstract highlights the nurse's role within the SPGDT.
5. What is the authors' stated conclusion about hypnotherapy for moderate post-traumatic stress?
- That it is very effective as a complementary nursing method
- That it is harmful and should be avoided
- That it has no effect
- That it works only with medication
Rationale: The abstract concludes hypnotherapy as complementary nursing was very effective for moderate post-traumatic stress.
6. Why should the 'very effective' conclusion be treated cautiously?
- It comes from a narrative literature review without a sample or comparison group
- It was based on a trial of 10,000 patients
- It was retracted by the journal
- It contradicts the authors' own data
Rationale: No original data, sample size, or control group is reported, so the claim sits low on the evidence hierarchy.
7. In nursing, a 'complementary' therapy is best understood as:
- An addition to standard care, not a replacement
- A substitute for all medical treatment
- A therapy only used in surgery
- A placebo with no possible role
Rationale: Complementary therapies are meant to be used alongside established evidence-based care.
8. Which principle best reflects trauma-informed care when supporting disaster survivors?
- Prioritize safety, choice, and avoiding re-traumatization
- Confront survivors with details until they habituate
- Withhold information to reduce anxiety
- Require survivors to relive events immediately
Rationale: Trauma-informed care emphasizes safety, control, and preventing further harm.
9. What did the authors recommend at the end of the paper?
- Further study of factors influencing hypnotherapy outcomes
- Immediate nationwide adoption without further study
- Banning complementary therapies
- Replacing all trauma care with hypnotherapy
Rationale: The abstract recommends further study of other factors that influence hypnotherapy results.
10. Before using hypnotherapy with patients, a nurse should first consider:
- Scope of practice and proper credentialing
- Only the cost of the session
- The color of the treatment room
- Whether the patient can pay in cash
Rationale: Hypnotherapy is a specialized skill that should be delivered by trained, credentialed practitioners within scope.
Study cards
Flashcards
What year and journal was this hypnotherapy paper published in?
2015, in Jurnal Keperawatan (an Indonesian nursing journal).
What type of paper is it?
A descriptive, literature-based scholarly essay (karya tulis ilmiah), not an experimental study.
What is the paper's main question?
Whether hypnotherapy, as a complementary nursing method, can reduce moderate-level post-traumatic stress.
What does SPGDT refer to in this paper?
Sistem Penanggulangan Kegawatdaruratan Terpadu, Indonesia's integrated emergency management system.
What phase of disaster response does the paper focus on?
The rehabilitation phase, after the immediate emergency.
What background fact do the authors state about disasters in Indonesia?
Disasters have a high prevalence there.
What psychological effect of disasters does the paper address?
Post-traumatic stress among survivors.
How do the authors say hypnotherapy works?
By giving positive suggestions that promote constructive coping mechanisms.
What method did the authors use?
A descriptive method with literature study, plus exposition, analytic methods, and group discussion.
What is the authors' conclusion?
That hypnotherapy as complementary nursing is 'very effective' for moderate post-traumatic stress.
What did the authors recommend for the future?
Further study of other factors that influence hypnotherapy outcomes.
Did this paper report a sample size or statistics?
No; it is literature-based and reports no original data.
Why should the 'very effective' claim be read cautiously?
It is a narrative-review conclusion, not a measured result from a controlled study.
What does 'complementary therapy' mean in nursing?
A therapy used in addition to, not instead of, standard evidence-based care.
Who should deliver hypnotherapy?
Appropriately trained and credentialed practitioners working within their scope.
What is a core trauma-informed principle?
Prioritizing safety, choice, and avoiding re-traumatization.
What should happen for survivors with significant trauma symptoms?
Thorough assessment and referral to mental health specialists when indicated.
Where does this paper sit on the evidence hierarchy?
Low; a single narrative essay should not by itself guide practice.
What role do nurses have in the SPGDT, per the abstract?
An important role, especially in supporting survivors' recovery.
What key skill does this paper help students practice?
Evidence appraisal, telling a review conclusion apart from empirical proof.
Search-ready answers
Frequently asked questions
Is this paper a clinical trial proving hypnotherapy works for PTSD?
No. It is a descriptive, literature-based essay. Its conclusion that hypnotherapy is 'very effective' comes from reviewing existing writing, not from an experiment with patients, so it should be verified against stronger evidence.
What is hypnotherapy, as described here?
The authors describe it as a complementary method in which the client is given positive suggestions intended to encourage constructive coping mechanisms.
What is post-traumatic stress?
As general background, it is a set of distressing psychological reactions that can follow a traumatic event, such as a disaster. It can be serious and may need professional mental-health care.
What is SPGDT?
It is Indonesia's integrated emergency management system. The paper says nurses have an important role within it, especially during rehabilitation.
Can nurses use hypnotherapy on their own after reading this?
Not without proper training and credentialing. Hypnotherapy is a specialized skill and should be used within one's scope of practice and alongside standard care.
Does 'complementary' mean it replaces regular treatment?
No. Complementary therapies are meant to be added to, not substituted for, established evidence-based care.
Why does the summary keep urging caution?
Because this is a narrative essay without a sample, control group, or statistics, its confident language is not the same as proof, and trauma care carries real safety stakes.
What are the main limitations?
It is literature-based rather than experimental, reports no data, does not describe how sources were selected, and the available metadata is thin.
What is trauma-informed care?
An approach that prioritizes the survivor's safety, choice, and sense of control while avoiding actions that could re-traumatize them.
How should a student use this article?
As a starting point and a practice case for evidence appraisal, valuing its questions and its attention to the nurse's role, while seeking higher-quality evidence before drawing clinical conclusions.