title: Evaluation of the preliminary effectiveness of hand massage therapy on postoperative pain of adults in the intensive care unit after cardiac surgery: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Although many intensive care unit patients experience significant pain, very few studies explored massage to maximize their pain relief. This study aimed to evaluate the preliminary effects of hand massage on pain after cardiac surgery in the adult intensive care unit. A pilot randomized controlled trial was used for this study. The study was conducted in a Canadian medical-surgical intensive care unit. Forty adults who were admitted to the intensive care unit after undergoing elective cardiac surgery in the previous 24 hours participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 21) or control (n = 19) group. The experimental group received a 15-minute hand massage, and the control group received a 15-minute hand-holding without massage. In both groups the intervention was followed by a 30-minute rest period. The interventions were offered on 2-3 occasions within 24 hours after surgery. Pain, muscle tension, and vital signs were assessed. Pain intensity and behavioral scores were decreased for the experimental group. Although hand massage decreased muscle tension, fluctuations in vital signs were not significant. This study supports potential benefits of hand massage for intensive care unit postoperative pain management. Although larger randomized controlled trials are necessary, this low-cost nonpharmacologic intervention can be safely administered.
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Mădălina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boitor
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Quebec Nursing Intervention Research Network (RRISIQ), Montréal, Québec, Canada; Faculty of Nursing, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martorella
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Quebec Nursing Intervention Research Network (RRISIQ), Montréal, Québec, Canada; Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arbour
authors.affiliation: Quebec Nursing Intervention Research Network (RRISIQ), Montréal, Québec, Canada; School of Nursing, Univeristé de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Michaud
authors.affiliation: Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre for Nursing Research and Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Quebec Nursing Intervention Research Network (RRISIQ), Montréal, Québec, Canada; Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: celine.gelinas@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gélinas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000502:physiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000451:nursing; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing; D055986:Vital Signs