Effects of hand massage and acupressure therapy for mechanically ventilated patients

Purpose: This research is an experimental study (randomized controlled) which is carried out to investigate the effect on anxiety of hand massage and acupressure therapy in patients having mechanical ventilation support.Method and material: This randomized controlled research was conducted in Intensive care units of Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases and Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital between the dates 18 June 2007 and 3 May 2008. The research sample was comprised of a total of 70 patients who met the research criteria in the hand massage and acupressure (n=35) and control (n =35) groups. Data were collected by using Patient Information Form, Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale. It was following patients in experimental and control groups during seven days. It was recorded physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea of patients in control group. These patients weren’t used hand massage and acupressure therapy. The patients in experimental group weren’t used hand massage and acupressure therapy in the first and seventh days. It was recorded physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea. The other days, it was used hand massage and acupressure therapy. It was recorded physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea This research is an experimental study (randomized controlled) which is carried out to investigate the effect on anxiety of hand massage and acupressure therapy in patients having mechanical ventilation support. Research was conducted in Intensive care units of Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases and Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital between the dates 18 June 2007 and 3 May 2008. The research sample was comprised of a total of 70 patients who met the research criteria in the hand massage and acupressure (n=35) and control (n =35) groups. Data were collected by using Patient Information Form, Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale. It was following patients in experimental and control groups during seven days. It was recorded physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea of patients in control group. These patients weren’t used hand massage and acupressure therapy. The patients in experimental group weren’t used hand massage and acupressure therapy in the first and seventh days. It was recorded physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea. The other days, it was used hand massage and acupressure therapy. Hand massage and acupressure therapy was limited to 18 minutes. It was recorded physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea before and after hand massage and acupressure therapy. It was calculated intensive care unit costs and determined duration in intensive care unit after discharge of patients in experimental and control groups. In the data analysis were used chi square, repeated measures analysis of variance, independent samples t test, paired samples t test, LSD (Least-Significant difference) tests.Results: According to the research findings, it wasn’t found significant as clinical which is the statistically significant difference in the physiological indicators of anxiety, perceived anxiety and dyspnoea except from oxygen saturation.Conclusion: In conclusion, our results suggest that hand massage and acupressure therapy might effectively relieve perceived dyspnoea and anxiety and reduce physiological indicators of anxiety in patients having mechanical ventilation support. The study provides a research-based intervention model for clinicians caring for MVP