The effect on dyspnea, anxiety & comfort of foot massage in patients having mechanical ventilation support

Abstract The Effect on Dyspnea, Anxiety & Comfort of Foot Massage In Patients Having Mechanical Ventilation Support This randomized controlled experimental study (including a pre- and post-test and control group) was conducted to investigate the effects of the foot massage on dyspnea, anxiety and comfort in patients receiving mechanical ventilation support. Research was conducted in intensive care units of Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases between the dates November 20, 2017 and April 27, 2018. The research sample was comprised of a total of eleven patients who met the research criteria in the foot massage (n=7) and control (n=4) groups. Data were collected by using Patient Information Form, Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale. The participants were observed for three days. The participants under the control were not intervened. After randomization on the first day, the participants under the control group were administered by the Patient Information Form, Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale and 10 minutes later the Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale. On the second and third days of the examination, the participants under the control group were administered by the Patient Information Form, Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale and 10 minutes later the Patient Record Form, Visual Analogue Scale. The participants in the foot massage group is on the first, second and third day as each day at the same time; Patient Information Form, Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale; After 10 minutes massage application; the Patient Record Form and Visual Analogue Scale implemented. In the foot massage groups dyspnea, anxiety and comfort mean scores, and mean values for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, fiO2, paO2, paO2/ fiO2 were obtained before and after the massage treatment, and the differences between pre- and post- massage values were analyzed with the Mann Whitney U test. The intragroup differences in terms of the measurement days were with the Wilcoxon sign-rank test. The findings obtained from the study demonstrated that foot massage reduced the dyspenae and anxiety levels of the patients and increased their comfort, and the differences with control group were condisered statistically significant (p<0.05). In line with the study findings, it is recommended that foot massage should be included in routine nursing healthcare activities fort he patients because it is easily learned, costs nothing, does not necessitate any invasive procedure, reduces dyspnea and anxiety and promotes comfort. Keywords: Intensive Care, Mechanical Ventilation, Foot Massage, Dyspnea, Anxiety, Comfort, Nursing