ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses reported varying degrees of cognitive failure. To prioritize patient safety in clinical settings, it is important and necessary to address and mitigate the symptoms of cognitive failure among nurses. AIM: This study was conducted in Iran to evaluate the impact of ear acupressure on occupational cognitive failure in nurses. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted with 54 nurses who experienced cognitive failure in 2022. Sampling was performed by convenience. Fifty-six nurses who scored 40 or higher on the occupational cognitive failure questionnaire were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (28 subjects) or the sham group (28 subjects). In the intervention group, pressure was applied to the shen-men point, zero point, hippocampus, master cerebral, brain, and memory 1 and 2 of the earlobes for six weeks using Vaccaria seeds. In the sham group, a sticker without seeds was applied at the same points as in the intervention group, and no pressure was applied. Cognitive failure was assessed at the beginning of the study (T0), at the end of the intervention (sixth week of study, T1), and four weeks after the end of the intervention (tenth week of study, T2). The data were collected using contextual data questionnaires and the Occupational Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (OCFQ). The data obtained from 54 nurses (28 in the sham group and 26 in the intervention group) were analyzed by SPSS v16 using repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: The two groups had no significant differences regarding background variables. The between-group analysis revealed a significant interaction effect of time and intervention on cognitive failure (F = 60.320, p < 0.001, effect size = 0.537). The cognitive failure score in the intervention group was significantly lower at the end of the intervention and one month later than that in the sham group (p < 0.001). Within-group analysis revealed a significant difference in the cognitive failure scores of the intervention group at T0, T1, and T2 (61.231 ± 14.230, 34.000 ± 14.659, and 29.808 ± 14.266, respectively; F = 52.331, p < 0.001, effect size = 0.677). However, in the sham group, the cognitive failure score exhibited a brief but significant increase at T0, T1, and T2 (54.786 ± 11.239, 56.250 ± 10.950, and 56.000 ± 11.337, respectively; F = 6.369, p = 0.006, effect size = 0.191). CONCLUSION: Auriculotherapy has shown promise in improving occupational cognitive failure in nurses. It is recommended that nurses consider incorporating auriculotherapy as a complementary treatment modality, particularly through self-treatment programs, when experiencing symptoms of cognitive impairment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER (TRN): IRCT20100211003329N10 DATE OF REGISTRATION: 04/11/2022.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Given the high prevalence of depression in elderly people, appropriate interventions are essential. This study aimed to assess the effects of auriculotherapy on depression among elderly people. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 2021. Fifty-two elderly were conveniently selected and randomly allocated to the sham (n = 26) and intervention (n = 26) groups through block randomization. The intervention group was subjected to four weeks of auriculotherapy at the Shen-Men, zero, heart, antidepressant, and master cerebral points using Vaccaria seeds fixed with adhesive tape. In the sham group, adhesive tapes were attached to the points with neither seeds nor compression. The elderly and data collector were blinded. The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depression before, immediately after, and four weeks after the intervention (T1-T3). The statistical methods used were repeated measures analysis of variance and covariance. RESULTS: Groups significantly differed concerning participants' gender, education, and employment (p < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding effects, the time-group interaction significantly affected the mean depression score (p < 0.0001, effect size = 0.54). There was no significant difference between the depression score in the sham and intervention groups at T1 (9.6 ± 2.5 vs 9.5 ± 2.5, p = 0.263); however, this difference was found to be significant at T2 (8.6 ± 2 vs 4.2 ± 1.2, p < 0.0001, effect size = 0.68) and T3 (9.3 ± 2.3 vs 4.3 ± 1.3, p < 0.0001, effect size = 0.65). Within-group analysis revealed significant differences in the depression scores of the intervention group at T1 compared with those at T2 and T3 (p < 0.05). In contrast, the mean depression score in the sham group at T2 was significantly lower than that at T1 (p = 0.003) and greater than that at T3 (p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Auriculotherapy alleviates depression and can be used as a complementary therapy for elderly people with depression.
