Effects of Acupressure Applied to Intensive Care Patients on Physiological Parameters, Pain, Sleep Quality, Anxiety and Perception of Nursing Presence

Gazi University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Physiological Parameters; Sleep Quality; Nursing Presence; Acupressure; Intensive Care Unit; Anxiety

Treatments: Other: Acupressure; Other: pseudo acupressure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06994715

E-77082166-302.08.01-1229645

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will be conducted in a randomized controlled experimental design to examine the effects of acupressure applied to patients treated in the intensive care unit on physiological parameters, pain, sleep quality, anxiety and perception of nurse presence. The study will be conducted with 60 patients (20 intervention, 20 placebo, 20 control groups) treated in the 2nd stage Intensive Care Unit of an University Hospital between May 2025 and January 2026. Acupressure will be applied to the intervention group for 2 days, morning and evening, for four sessions. For four sessions, pseudo acupressure will be used on the placebo group for 2 days, morning and evening. No application will be made to the control group. The data collection tools in the study are the Patient Identifier Information Form, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Visual Assessment Scale (VAS), Physiological Parameter Assessment Form, Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale, Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Nurse Presence Scale (PONS).

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Have received intensive care treatment for at least 48 hours,
• Are 18 years of age or older,
• Have a Glasgow Coma Scale score of >13,
• Can speak and write in Turkish,
• Have no psychiatric diagnosis,
• Have no communication problems,
• Have a VAS score of ≥1,
• Have a mean arterial pressure of ≥65,
• Have SpO2 of ≥85.

Exclusion criteria

Have previously received acupressure treatment,

• Have ulcers, necrotic tissue and signs and symptoms of infection at the points where pressure will be applied,
• Have used antihypertensives, beta-blockers and similar medications,
• Have sedation,
• Have respiratory support from the device,
• Have inotropic treatment (dopamine, steradin and others),
• Have analgesic treatment in their routine treatment will not be included in the study.

Patients who were discharged during the study,

• Patients who died during the study,
• Patients who wanted to leave the study,
• Patients who started receiving sedation during the application,
• Patients who added antihypertensive, beta-blocker and similar drugs to their routine treatment during the application,
• Patients who received inotropic treatment (dopamine, steradin and others) during the application,
• Patients who started receiving analgesia treatment during the application,
• Patients who developed ulcers, necrotic tissue and infection at the points where pressure will be applied during the application,
• Patients who started receiving respiratory support from the device during the application,
• Patients who had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of ≤13, mean arterial pressure of ≤65 and SpO2 of ≤85 during the application will be excluded from the study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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60 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Application group

Experimental group

Description:

After the purpose of the study and the method of application are explained to the intensive care patients, the "Introductory Information Form", "Glasgow Coma Scale", "Visual Assessment Scale", "Physiological Parameters Assessment Form", "Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale", "Nursing Presence Scale" and "Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Scale" will be applied. A total of 8 sessions of acupressure will be applied morning and evening for 2 days. The measurements will be repeated afterwards.

Treatment:

Other: Acupressure

Placebo Group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

After the purpose of the study and the method of application are explained to the intensive care patients, the "Introductory Information Form", "Glasgow Coma Scale", "Visual Assessment Scale", "Physiological Parameters Assessment Form", "Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale", "Nursing Presence Scale" and "Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Scale" will be applied. A total of 8 sessions of pseudo acupressure will be applied morning and evening for 2 days. Only light pressure will be applied without massage 2 cm to the side of the real points. The procedure will be performed with gloves. The measurements will be repeated afterwards.

Treatment:

Other: pseudo acupressure

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

No application will be made to the control group.