Light acupuncture and five-element music therapy for nurses' mental health and well-being during and post-COVID-19: protocol for a randomised cross-over feasibility study. Issue 4 (29th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Carol Chunfeng; Lo, Johnny; Saunders, Rosemary; Adama, Esther; Bulsara, Caroline; Etherton-Beer, Christopher; Yang, Angela Wei Hong
• Is Part Of: BMJ open. Volume 12:Issue 4(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04-29
• Subjects: Pain management -- Laser therapy -- PAIN MANAGEMENT -- Depression & mood disorders -- MENTAL HEALTH; Medicine -- Research -- Periodicals; 610.72
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057106
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-6055

Abstract

Abstract : Introduction: Australian nurses have experienced higher levels of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the prepandemic. This may have affected their long-term mental health and intention to stay in the profession resulting in a workforce shortage, which further impacts the health of the public. Management is urgently required to improve nurses' well-being. However, there is limited evidence available. The proposed clinical trial aims to evaluate the feasibility and therapeutic effects of using a combination of light acupuncture and five-element music therapy to improve nurses' mental health and well-being during and post-COVID-19. Methods and analysis: This randomised, single blinding, two-arm cross-over feasibility study involves a 1-week run-in period, 2-week intervention and 1-week run-in period in between interventions. Thirty-six eligible nurses will be recruited from the community and randomised into either a combination of light acupuncture treatment and five-element music therapy group or no treatment group for 2 weeks. After a 1-week run in period, they will be swapped to the different group. The primary outcome of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a combination of light acupuncture treatment and five-element music therapy to improve nurses' mental health and well-being. The secondary outcomes will include anxiety and depression, work productivity and activity, and quality of life assessments. Participants will be asked to complete a set of online questionnaires throughout the trial period. All analyses will be performed in R Studio V.1.1.463. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval was attained from Edith Cowan University's Human Research Ethics Committee (No. 2021–02728-WANG). Research findings will be shared with hospitals and in various forms to engage broader audiences, including national and international conferences, presentations, open-access peer-reviewed journal publications, and local community workshop dissemination with healthcare professionals. Trial registration number: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12621000957897p https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12621000957897p.aspx