Effect of foot bath applied to patients with acute renal failure on the severity of pain, fatigue and insomnia

In acute renal failure, multiple physiological problems can develop due to renal function decline and kidney damage within days. In the management of acute renal failure, which requires intensive monitoring and treatment, both pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods are effective in alleviating the symptoms experienced by patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a foot bath on the severity of pain, fatigue, and insomnia in patients with acute renal failure. This study was conducted using a randomized controlled trial design. The study sample consisted of 50 patients diagnosed with acute renal failure hospitalized in the internal medicine ward of a training and research hospital. Those receiving hemodialysis, diagnosed with chronic renal failure, with cognitive problems, whose vital signs were not within normal limits, and who did not consent to participate in the study were excluded from the study. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, Numerical Pain Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, and Insomnia Severity Index. Vital signs of patients in the footbath group were also assessed before and after the intervention. Data were collected by the researcher in the internal medicine clinic of the hospital where the study was conducted between September 2024 and May 2025. Footbaths were administered once a day for three days: on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days of hospitalization. The water temperature for the footbath was 38-42°C, and the duration was 20 minutes. Pretest data were collected on the first day of hospitalization, and posttest data were collected on the 5th day of hospitalization. The consort flow chart was adhered to throughout the study. Records were recorded in the clinical database. (NCT06613087) In this study, it was determined that there was no statistically significant difference in the mean pain scores of patients in the footbath and control groups at the posttest. A within-group comparison revealed a significant decrease in the mean pain scores of patients in both the experimental and control groups. In fatigue severity scores, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant, but the change over time was statistically significant. Insomnia severity scores were not significantly different between the groups at the pretest and posttest, but the change over time was statistically significant. In the comparison of vital signs before and after the footbath group, only the temperature measurement showed a significant difference, while pulse and blood pressure measurements did not. (p<0,05). This result determined that foot baths had no significant effect on the severity of pain, fatigue, or insomnia. It is recommended that the long-term effects of foot bath application be evaluated and further studies be conducted on this subject.