AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightIt is suggested that healthcare professionals working in the ICU should be aware of the benefits of therapeutic massage.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
Objective: This experimental study aimed to investigate the effect of therapeutic massage on fear, anxiety, and pain levels of critically ill patients. Material-Method: The sample of the study consisted of 50 patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The patients were divided into two groups: control and experimental groups, each consisted of 25 patients. Data were collected using a questionnaire including questions about sociodemographic characteristics and some medical parameters of patients, visual materials prepared following the literature review that the patients could easily show their anxiety and fear levels without having to speak, and visual pain scale. Results: Of the patients, 62% were male, 44% were 44–64 years old, 90% were married and 54% were primary school graduates. The reason for staying in the ICU was the diagnosis of respiratory distress in 42% of the patients and 74% were staying in the ICU for two days. There was a decrease in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse in the experimental group compared to the control group; however, this was not statistically significant (p>0.05). It was further observed that high respiratory values decreased, and oxygen saturation values increased (p<0.05). A statistically significant decrease was observed in anxiety, fear, and pain levels of the patients in the experimental group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Therapeutic massage may be used as a complementary method for anxiety, fear and pain treatment of critically ill patients. It is suggested that healthcare professionals working in the ICU should be aware of the benefits of therapeutic massage.