Effectiveness of Auriculoacupuncture on the Sleep Quality of Working Nursing Professionals During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of auriculoacupuncture in improving the sleep quality of nursing professionals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: quasi-experimental before and after study, without a control or matching group performed from May to July 2020, in a referral hospital for infectious diseases in Ceará. The sample consisted of 26 nursing professionals, including nurses and technicians, who performed three sessions of auriculoacupuncture, once a week, for four weeks. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. The effects of the intervention were analyzed by the student's “t” test to compare means between the first and last application, one-way ANOVA with repeated measures and post-hoc Sidak´s test. Results: regarding the components of the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, significant differences were observed between the individuals in the components: subjective sleep quality (p=0.001); sleep latency (p<0.001), sleep duration (p<0.001), habitual sleep efficiency (p=0.011), sleep disorders (p<0.001), sleeping medications (p=0.005) and excessive daytime sleep sleepiness (p<0.001). The overall sleep index also changed significantly (p<0.001). The intervention reduced the sleep quality index score by 52.35%. Conclusion: the changes that occurred were able to change the category in sleep classification through a detailed decrease in the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index scores. Significant differences were observed between the first and final moments in the global index and in all components.

Applying the Safe Child® Method for inserting earrings in children’s earlobes

“…In a quasi-experimental study carried out with auriculotherapy in health professionals, it was found that the intervention was able to improve the dimensions of subjective sleep quality by more than 50% (p = 0.001), habitual efficiency (p = 0.011), sleep duration and reduced sleep disorders (p < 0.001). This improvement is justified by the possibility of regulating neurotransmitters and hormonal factors involved in the sleep and wakefulness process, with the stimulation of the points (8) . Another aspect is that the practice has already obtained results in the first consultation, which can reinforce its use in the Safe Child ® Method, which provides only on stimulus prior to the procedure.…”

“…It is worth reflecting that the studies cited to elucidate the pharmacological and non-pharmacological practices used in the Safe Child ® Method were carried out in procedures that cause severe pain and/or in chronic conditions. Anesthetic ointment (4) , maternal lap, and breastfeeding (5) were used in punctures in well-vascularized and innervated areas; distraction was used in children with cancer, a state in which more than 70% of patients have severe pain during the procedures (6) ; auriculotherapy was performed in the adult population (8) ; and low-intensity laser in chronic conditions (9) ; however, all studies provided positive and significant effects on analgesia, inflammation, sleep, and healing. Thus, the use of these techniques to perforate the earlobe can be a positive predictor of child comfort.…”

“…At the end of the period of anesthetic effect, relaxation strategies are applied (Chart 1) based on scientific evidence (5)(6)(7)(8)(9) , chosen alongside family members considering the child's stage of development.…”

“…Auriculotherapy (7)(8) With the low-frequency laser, a set of points related to anxiety reduction and sleep stimulation can be stimulated. Auriculotherapy is performed in children over 3 months of age, who are sleeping prior to the procedure, with the aim of enhancing sleep and increasing the effectiveness of the method.…”

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep disorders among Nursing professionals

“…In health professionals, the impacts of the pandemic are enhanced by physical exhaustion, high workload, lack of personal protective equipment, inadequate working conditions, need for ethically complex decisions on care rationing, emotional tensions and severity of the cases 4 . Such occupational demands are frequent causes of stress and insufficient sleep and can contribute to changes in the work process, increasing the risk of accidents 5 .…”