Measuring the Effect of Chair Massage on Stress Related Symptoms for Nurses

NCT ID: NCT01504763

Last Updated: 2012-02-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2010-10-31
• Study Completion Date: 2010-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and effect of chair massage provided during working hours for nurses in an inpatient psychiatric and an outpatient pain rehabilitation unit and on the nurses stress related symptoms.

Detailed Description

Nursing staff working in a hospital in-patient psychiatric unit and out-patient pain rehabilitation/ fibromyalgia units each have varying causes of stress as both are intensely demanding environments. The physical and psychosocial demands of these stress-loaded work environments place a significant amount of strain on the physiological well-being of the employee.

Nurses in these settings are considered healthy employees and able to participate in the workforce, although symptoms such as headaches, shoulder tension, insomnia, fatigue, and muscle and joint pain are often a part of their work day. As these stress related symptoms become more chronic, they lead to days missed and become pre-cursors to physiological illnesses so warrant further search for prevention tactics.

Massage therapy has been noted to decrease levels of anxiety and fatigue which is essential to maintaining employee's efficient care in a dynamic environment. This study will provide massage in the workplace utilizing chair massage as it is easy to set up, does not need a great deal of space, and can be provided in semi-private areas, as the participant remains clothed. A 2006 report on a small study indicated chair massage can be effective in reducing stress perception in nurses within a hospital setting, at least in the short-term. Another study reported some short-term positive effects on stress related symptoms; and came to the conclusion that further studies are indicated to examine the efficacy of workplace-based massage therapy programs.

Conditions

Stress; Fatigue; Anxiety; Tension

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Massage

Chair massage for 15 minutes once a week for 10 weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Chair massage

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Chair massage for 15 minutes once a week for 10 weeks.

Interventions

Chair massage

Chair massage for 15 minutes once a week for 10 weeks.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Other Intervention Names

Massage

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women age 18-65 able to give informed consent
• Able to speak and understand English
• Minimum of 8-hour per day shift schedule with .75 - 1.0 FTE.
• Need to be able to schedule one massage per week in the available massage schedule time slots.

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals being treated for acute musculoskeletal symptoms
• Individuals currently on work restrictions
• Undergoing treatments for a malignancy
• Pregnancy (due to this being chair massage)
• Recent head, neck, shoulder or back surgeries
• Pins or joint fusion of the head or neck
• Current sinus infections, earaches, or vascular migraines
• Nursing staff that float on to the unit

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Mayo Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Deborah Engen

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Deborah J. Engen, O.T.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mayo Clinic

Locations

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, Minnesota, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

08-004874

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id