Effects of auricular acupressure on the quality of sleep and anxiety in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure (AA), a non-invasive type of reflexotherapy, on sleep quality and anxiety in patients after cardiac surgery. Background: Sleep disturbances and anxiety hinder the recovery of patients after cardiac surgery; thus, appropriate and adequate nursing interventions must be pursued. AA is a complementary therapy suitable for patients with limited pharmacological therapy options. Method: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest control group design was applied. The study consisted of 42 patients, comprising an experimental group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 21). AA was applied for six days per trial for a total of 2 trials, while sleep (sleep score, sleep satisfaction) and anxiety (state, trait) were measured at three time points (pre-op, 7 days post-op, and 14 days post-op). Results: The sleep and sleep satisfaction scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group. No significant difference was found in anxiety state/trait between the two groups. Conclusions: We conclude that AA is a safe, effective, noninvasive, and low-risk nursing intervention that can improve sleep quality in patients after cardiac surgery.