Revista de informes de casos clínicos

Chair Massage on stress, heart rate and blood pressure in oncology nurses

Abstract

Souza TP*, Kurebayashi LFS, Souza-Talarico JN, Turrini RNT

Problem statement: Nursing professionals work in a complex scenario, even before de pandemic situation. There is a high prevalence of moderate to high levels of chronic stress among nurses. In oncology unit presents elements which favor psychological overload due to prolonged hospitalizations of patients and dealing with the constant terminality and threat to life. In addition, chronic stress can compromise the quality of care and patient safety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the massage chair to reduce chronic stress in the oncology nursing team. Methodology: A randomized clinical trial divided into two groups: massage chair and control without intervention. The intervention group received two 15-minute chair massage sessions twice a week for three weeks. The research was carried out in two university cancer hospitals, one public and the other private, in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Main outcome measure: stress reduction as measured by the Signs and Symptoms List (LSS). Blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and after each massage. Results: 60 women from the Oncology Nursing team participated. The mean age was 32 (± 5.3) years, with a mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of 26.7 Kg/m2 (SD ± 5.0) presenting an overweight proflie. The stress analysis by the LSS showed that 6.7% (n=4) had a very high stress score, 65.0% (n=39) had a high level, and 28.3% (n=17) had medium level. There was a reduction in stress measured by the LSS with a statistical difference in the group-time interaction (p <0.001), with a Cohen's d value of 1.21 between groups. In the massage group, there was a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure (p <0.001). Conclusion: Chair massage, with 15 minutes, proved adequate to relieve signs and symptoms of stress in oncology nursing professionals.