Occupational StressNCT06271278
The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques Application on Nurses
A study testing Emotional Freedom Technique in people with Occupational Stress and Alert Fatigue, Health Personnel, run by Gürkan at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Nurses working in surgical intensive care units face numerous health and safety stressors. The introduction of new health technologies, medical devices (such as bedside monitors, pump and perfuser devices, and mechanical ventilators), and changing health environments have contributed to increased work stress among… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Occupational Stress, Alert Fatigue, Health Personnel
- What is being tested?
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 144 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 2 Nov 2023to 16 Aug 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Being 18 years of age or older
- Working as a nurse in one of the surgical intensive care units
- Volunteering to participate in the study
Who cannot join
- Working in a unit other than surgical intensive care units
- Not volunteering to participate in the research
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Inonu University Turgut OzaL Medical Center
Malatya, 44090
About this study
Official title: The Effects of Emotional Freedom Technique on Work-Related Stress and Alarm Fatigue in Nurses Working in Surgical Intensive Care Units
Nurses working in surgical intensive care units face numerous health and safety stressors. The introduction of new health technologies, medical devices (such as bedside monitors, pump and perfuser devices, and mechanical ventilators), and changing health environments have contributed to increased work stress among nurses. This, in turn, has had negative effects on their physical and mental health outcomes. One of the hazards associated with medical devices is alarm fatigue. Noise pollution caused by bells, beeps, and horns in intensive care units can lead to alarm fatigue, defined as desensitisation to monitor alarms. Nurses are particularly susceptible to this due to their constant exposure to these sounds, which can also cause stress. Occupational stress is a recognised issue in this demanding field, characterised by disproportionate workloads and negative effects on performance.Work-related stress can lead to a loss of compassion towards patients and an increase in malpractice, negatively affecting the quality of care. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the impact of applying emotional freedom techniques on work-related stress and alarm fatigue experienced by nurses working in surgical intensive care units.
Read the detailed description
Surgical intensive care units have high mortality and mobility rates and require 24-hour monitoring. Intensive care environments are stressful for working individuals, particularly nurses, due to health and safety concerns. In recent years, new health technologies and medical devices, as well as changing health environments, have increased work stress among nurses, leading to negative physical and mental health outcomes. The use of medical device alarms, including bedside monitors, pump devices, perfuser devices, patient heating-cooling devices, mechanical ventilators, computers, and nutrition devices, has increased over time. These alarms are used to monitor changes in the vital signs of patients and ensure continuity of care. However, alarm fatigue is a significant problem caused by medical devices. Noise pollution is a common issue in intensive care units due to the various sounds emitted by medical devices. Health professionals may experience alarm fatigue, which is defined as desensitisation to monitor alarms. Dealing with alarm fatigue requires objective and comprehensible solutions. Inappropriate techniques such as disabling alarms, delayed response, setting them between unsafe parameters, and turning down the volume so low that they cannot be heard, are cognitive stressors. The continuous exposure to these alarm sounds, coupled with the nature of nurses' work, can also cause stress. Occupational stress is a demanding profession that can have negative effects on performance. Therefore, it is important to address occupational stress in the nursing profession. It is quite common among nurses and can jeopardise both their quality of life and patient safety. Work-related stress can lead to a loss of compassion towards patients and an increase in malpractice, negatively affecting the quality of care. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the impact of applying emotional freedom techniques on work-related stress and alarm fatigue experienced by nurses working in surgical intensive care units.
- Being tested
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- Keywords
- Surgical intensive care, Alarm Fatigue, Job stress, Emotional Freedom Technique, Surgical nurse
- Medical subject headings
- Occupational Stress, Alert Fatigue, Health Personnel
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Emotional Freedom TechniqueBehavioural
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a powerful and effective practice that enables individuals to release negative emotions and achieve mental and physical relaxation. EFT is a form of counselling based on acupuncture points, which are areas of low electrical and energy flow in the body. Stimulating these points causes the brain to secrete dopamine. EFT involves stimulating specific points on the body where energy flow is low. This is done by gently tapping on these areas with the fingers, which releases dopamine. The process is painless and can be performed by the individual themselves.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Freedom Techniques group | Experimental | The Nurse Introduction Form, Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale were administered to the experimental group prior to patient care. The Emotional Freedom Technique was explained, and the nurses were instructed to apply it before and after their shifts for one week. One week later, the Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale were applied again. Receives: Behavioral: Emotional Freedom Technique |
| Control group | No intervention | No applications were administered to nurses working in the surgical intensive care unit. In the control group, data was collected before patient care using the Nurse Introduction Form, Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale. No interventions were performed. One week later, the Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale were applied again. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale
The discomfort scale used in energy therapies allows individuals to evaluate their own discomfort on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no discomfort and 10 indicates unbearable discomfort.
Measured: 0-7 days tracking
Alarm Fatigue Scale
The scale consists of 13 items and produces a score between 0 and 36. A higher score indicates an increase in alarm fatigue.
Measured: 0-7 days tracking
The General Work Stress Scale
The General Work Stress Scale is a 9-item scale that produces scores ranging from 9 to 45. High scores indicate high job stress, while low scores indicate low job stress.
Measured: 0-7 days tracking
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Feb 2024
- Study start2 Nov 2023
- Primary completion28 Jun 2024
- Study completion16 Aug 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Occupational StressStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- This study was conducted as a randomised controlled study with experimental and control groups.
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 144 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Gürkan
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Gürkan, Malatya Turgut Ozal University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06271278
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023-17
- Status last verified
- Jan 2025
- First submitted
- 14 Feb 2024
- Last updated
- 14 Jan 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Jan 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of Emotional Freedom Technique on Work-Related Stress and Alarm Fatigue in Nurses Working in Surgical Intensive Care Units
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06271278
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2023-17
- Keywords
- Surgical intensive care, Alarm Fatigue, Job stress, Emotional Freedom Technique, Surgical nurse
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 144 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- GürkanUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 2 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 Aug 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Nurses working in surgical intensive care units face numerous health and safety stressors. The introduction of new health technologies, medical devices (such as bedside monitors, pump and perfuser devices, and mechanical ventilators), and changing health environments have contributed to increased work stress among nurses. This, in turn, has had negative effects on their physical and mental health outcomes. One of the hazards associated with medical devices is alarm fatigue. Noise pollution caused by bells, beeps, and horns in intensive care units can lead to alarm fatigue, defined as desensitisation to monitor alarms. Nurses are particularly susceptible to this due to their constant exposure to these sounds, which can also cause stress. Occupational stress is a recognised issue in this demanding field, characterised by disproportionate workloads and negative effects on performance.Work-related stress can lead to a loss of compassion towards patients and an increase in malpractice, negatively affecting the quality of care. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the impact of applying emotional freedom techniques on work-related stress and alarm fatigue experienced by nurses working in surgical intensive care units.
Detailed description
Surgical intensive care units have high mortality and mobility rates and require 24-hour monitoring. Intensive care environments are stressful for working individuals, particularly nurses, due to health and safety concerns. In recent years, new health technologies and medical devices, as well as changing health environments, have increased work stress among nurses, leading to negative physical and mental health outcomes. The use of medical device alarms, including bedside monitors, pump devices, perfuser devices, patient heating-cooling devices, mechanical ventilators, computers, and nutrition devices, has increased over time. These alarms are used to monitor changes in the vital signs of patients and ensure continuity of care. However, alarm fatigue is a significant problem caused by medical devices. Noise pollution is a common issue in intensive care units due to the various sounds emitted by medical devices. Health professionals may experience alarm fatigue, which is defined as desensitisation to monitor alarms. Dealing with alarm fatigue requires objective and comprehensible solutions. Inappropriate techniques such as disabling alarms, delayed response, setting them between unsafe parameters, and turning down the volume so low that they cannot be heard, are cognitive stressors. The continuous exposure to these alarm sounds, coupled with the nature of nurses' work, can also cause stress. Occupational stress is a demanding profession that can have negative effects on performance. Therefore, it is important to address occupational stress in the nursing profession. It is quite common among nurses and can jeopardise both their quality of life and patient safety. Work-related stress can lead to a loss of compassion towards patients and an increase in malpractice, negatively affecting the quality of care. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the impact of applying emotional freedom techniques on work-related stress and alarm fatigue experienced by nurses working in surgical intensive care units.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- This study was conducted as a randomised controlled study with experimental and control groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Freedom Techniques group | Experimental | Behavioral: Emotional Freedom TechniqueThe Nurse Introduction Form, Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale were administered to the experimental group prior to patient care. The Emotional Freedom Technique was explained, and the nurses were instructed to apply it before and after their shifts for one week. One week later, the Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale were applied again. |
| Control group | No intervention | –No applications were administered to nurses working in the surgical intensive care unit. In the control group, data was collected before patient care using the Nurse Introduction Form, Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale. No interventions were performed. One week later, the Subjective Discomfort Unit, Alarm Fatigue Scale, and Work Stress Scale were applied again. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Being 18 years of age or older
- Working as a nurse in one of the surgical intensive care units
- Volunteering to participate in the study
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Working in a unit other than surgical intensive care units
- Not volunteering to participate in the research
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Freedom TechniqueEmotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a powerful and effective practice that enables individuals to release negative emotions and achieve mental and physical relaxation. EFT is a form of counselling based on acupuncture points, which are areas of low electrical and energy flow in the body. Stimulating these points causes the brain to secrete dopamine. EFT involves stimulating specific points on the body where energy flow is low. This is done by gently tapping on these areas with the fingers, which releases dopamine. The process is painless and can be performed by the individual themselves. | Behavioural | Emotional Freedom Techniques group |
Primary outcome
Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale
Time frame: 0-7 days tracking
The discomfort scale used in energy therapies allows individuals to evaluate their own discomfort on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no discomfort and 10 indicates unbearable discomfort.
Alarm Fatigue Scale
Time frame: 0-7 days tracking
The scale consists of 13 items and produces a score between 0 and 36. A higher score indicates an increase in alarm fatigue.
The General Work Stress Scale
Time frame: 0-7 days tracking
The General Work Stress Scale is a 9-item scale that produces scores ranging from 9 to 45. High scores indicate high job stress, while low scores indicate low job stress.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Jan 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Emotional Freedom Technique in people with Occupational Stress and Alert Fatigue, Health Personnel, run by Gürkan at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Jan 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale (time frame: 0-7 days tracking). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Jan 2025.