Background: Endotracheal suctioning is a common painful procedure in intensive care. Reflexology massage, a non-pharmacological pain relief method, hasn't been studied in this context.
Aim: To examine the effect of reflexology hand massage and placebo hand massage on pain and hemodynamic parameters related to endotracheal suctioning.
Study design: This double-blind, randomized, 2 × 2 crossover controlled trial included 24 intubated ICU patients. Massage was applied to both hands of individuals in the reflexology and placebo groups for 10 min on each hand, for a total of 20 min over two consecutive days. Data were collected using the Patient Demographic Information Form, Hemodynamic Parameters and Pain Monitoring Form, Critical Care Pain Observation Tool. The data were analyzed using pairwise and triple group comparison tests for dependent and independent groups.
Results: The pain scores of patients who received reflexology on the first and second day before, during, and after suctioning were 0.33±0.65, 1.83±1.02, 0.00±0.00, and 0.58±0.90, 1.66±1.07, 0.00±0.00, respectively. The pain scores of patients who received placebo massage on the first and second day were recorded as 1.83±1.46, 3.58±0.99, 0.66±0.65, and 1.33±0.98, 3.08±0.79, 0.75±0.62, respectively (p < 0.05 between and within groups). After suctioning, a decrease in diastolic blood pressure and respiratory rate, along with an increase in tidal volume, was observed in the reflexology group (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Hand reflexology massage is effective in alleviating suction-related pain and improving the patient's hemodynamics. Hand reflexology massage may be recommended for reducing suction pain, providing comfort, and improving hemodynamic instability in intensive care patients.
Keywords: Endotracheal suctioning; Massage; Nursing; Pain; Reflexology.
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