Acupressure & Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

Background and objective: Infectious disease outbreaks pose psychological challenges to the general population, and especially to healthcare workers. Nurses who work with COVID-19 patients are particularly vulnerable to emotions such as fear and anxiety, due to fatigue, discomfort, and helplessness related to their high intensity work. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of a brief online form of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in the prevention of stress, anxiety, and burnout in nurses involved in the treatment of COVID patients.

Methods: The study is a randomized controlled trial. It complies with the guidelines prescribed by the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist. It was conducted in a COVID-19 department at a university hospital in Turkey. We recruited nurses who care for patients infected with COVID-19 and randomly allocated them into an intervention group (n = 35) and a no-treatment control group (n = 37). The intervention group received one guided online group EFT session.

Results: Reductions in stress (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), and burnout (p .05).

Conclusions: A single online group EFT session reduced stress, anxiety, and burnout levels in nurses treating COVID-19.

Rank: 24

First Author: Dincer

Outcome: Anxiety,Burnout,Distress

Outcome p-value: Anxiety:⭑⭑⭑, Burnout:⭑⭑⭑, Distress:⭑⭑⭑

Intervention Category: Coping Skills Development

Time per Employee (hours): 0.33

D&B Study Quality Rating: 19

Reviewer Confidence: 3.5

Country: Turkey

Study Design Type: RCT

Materials Available to Implement: Intervention outlined in publication, including the acupressure point locations and steps for the participant to perform the intervention on themselves. Website offers courses and workshops in the techniques: http://www.eftuniverse.com. Author email addresses: berna.dincer@medeniyet.edu.tr (B. Dincer), demet.inangil@sbu.edu.tr (D. Inangil)

Materials Available: yes

Organiz./Individ. Focus: Individual

Prevention Category: Primary,Secondary

Effect Size: Large

Effect size Small:

Effect size Medium:

Effect size Large: Burnout,Anxiety,Distress

Reference: Dincer, B., & Inangil, D. (2021). The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on nurses’ stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Explore (New York, N.Y.), 17(2), 109–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2020.11.012