Auricular Acupuncture on Fatigue, Energy and Well-Being in Intensive Care Nurses

NCT05855473 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 45/08.06.2022
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 66
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Notably, no acupuncture intervention studies have aimed at reducing the fatigue level and increasing the energy of the nurses working in the ICU. For this reason, this study aims to investigate the effects of auricular acupuncture applied to nurses working in the ICU, who work at a critical point in patient care in our country, work with intense work tempo, experience excessive stress, tension, fatigue, and are open to psychosocial problems such as depression and burnout, on fatigue and energy levels. This study can significantly contribute to the literature on managing the physical and psychosocial issues associated with fatigue and that similar intervention programs can be expanded in working life. This study aimed to determine the effect of auricular acupuncture applied to intensive care nurses on fatigue, energy and well-being. This was a single-blind, randomized controlled clinical study. The study was conducted in three groups: semi-permanent needle acupuncture (intervention), seed acupuncture (intervention), and a control group.

Conditions

Fatigue

Keywords

intensive care nurses; acupuncture; fatigue; well-being

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change from Baseline Fatigue at five weeks

  Chalder Fatigue Scale was used to evaluate the fatigue level of intensive care nurses. The scale consists of 11 items in total, including a 7-item physical fatigue subsection and a 4-item mental fatigue subsection. Participants are asked to answer the statements using a four-point Likert scale. Scoring is made between 0-3 and the total score varies between 0-33. High scores indicate greater fatigue severity.

  Baseline, 5th week (after the intervention)

• Change from Baseline Energy Level at five weeks

  Subjective Vitality Scale was used to evaluate the energy level of intensive care nurses. The scale, which is a 7-point Likert scale (1 strongly disagree-7 strongly agree), consists of seven items. The sum of the scores in the scale ranges from 7 to 49. High scores obtained from the scale indicate that the individual's subjective vitality level is high.

  Baseline, 5th week (after the intervention)

• Change from Baseline Well-being at five weeks

  Well-Being Scale was used to evaluate the well-being of intensive care nurses. Participants are expected to express their views on the scale items in a 7-point Likert-type rating ranging from 1-strongly disagree to 7-strongly agree. The highest score that can be obtained from the scale is 56, and the lowest score is 8. High scores obtained from the scale indicate that the level of well-being of the relevant individual is high.

  Baseline, 5th week (after the intervention)

Study Arms (3)

Semi-permanent needle

EXPERIMENTAL

Five sessions of unilateral auricular acupuncture were applied alternately to the right and left ears, once a week, to the intensive care nurses in the semi-permanent needle group. Semi-permanent needles placed on the acupuncture points of the nurses' ears remained for one week with adhesive tapes. In the sessions in the following weeks, semi-permanent needles were replaced with new ones. Shen men (TF4), Sympathetic (AH6a), Lung, Liver (CO12) Kidney point (CO10) were applied to five specific points in the ear in accordance with the NADA protocol.

Other: Auricular acupuncture

Seed

EXPERIMENTAL

Five sessions of unilateral auricular acupuncture were applied alternately to the right and left ears, once a week, to the intensive care nurses in the seed group. Seeds placed on the acupuncture points of the nurses' ears remained for one week with adhesive tapes. In the sessions in the following weeks, seeds were replaced with new ones. The seed group was asked to apply pressure on the bands three times a day, 15 times each time. Shen men (TF4), Sympathetic (AH6a), Lung, Liver (CO12) Kidney point (CO10) were applied to five specific points in the ear in accordance with the NADA protocol.

Other: Auricular acupuncture

Control

NO INTERVENTION

This group received no intervention.

Interventions

Auricular acupuncture OTHER

The NADA protocol used in this study uses five specific points on the ear: Shen men, sympathetic autonomic, lung, liver, and kidney. Using this protocol, semi-permanent needles and seeds were placed unilaterally at five specific points in the ear by a specialist physician certified in acupuncture.

Seed; Semi-permanent needle

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Working as a nurse in the intensive care unit for at least 6 months.
• No physical disability
• Those who do not have a neurological diagnosis (having SVO, epilepsy, multiplesclerosis, etc.)
• No psychiatric diagnosis
• On the ear skin at the application site; no lesions such as infection, ulcer, irritation, rash, scar and
• Nurses who volunteered to participate in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Patients followed up with the diagnosis of end-stage renal disease, COPD, advanced heart failure, chronic liver disease, musculoskeletal problem, hypothyroidism and depression.
• Those who have physical and mental health problems that prevent communication
• Bleeding disorder or taking anticoagulant therapy
• pregnant
• Nurses who received any medical treatment or applied complementary methods (relaxation exercise, yoga, massage, etc.) during the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sakarya University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sakarya University

Sakarya, 54050, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fatigue

Interventions

Acupuncture, Ear

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Acupuncture Therapy; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Auriculotherapy

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 6, 2023
• First Posted: May 11, 2023
• Study Start: December 15, 2022
• Primary Completion: March 15, 2023
• Study Completion: March 30, 2023
• Last Updated: May 11, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)