Effects of Acupressure Applied to Intensive Care Patients on Physiological Parameters, Pain, Sleep Quality, Anxiety and Perception of Nursing Presence

The patient will be placed in a suitable position (supine) or alternatively in a side-lying position, and the patient's privacy will be taken into account to determine the pressure points. The patient's own finger measurement will be taken into account when determining the pressure points. Acupressure points will be marked using a surgical marking pen. The pressure will be applied manually. The thumb will be used for this. Before applying direct pressure to the point, a light rubbing movement will be made for approximately 15 seconds on the point area to reduce tension and tissue sensitivity, to warm, relax and prepare. Approximately 2 minutes of pressure will be applied to each point in a circular manner. Each application will last approximately 18 minutes. The patient will be measured 9 times in total during 4 sessions.

A pseudo acupressure will be applied to the patients in the supine or side-lying position. The researcher will perform this application by wearing gloves. Wearing gloves will reduce the therapeutic interaction with the patient. Since applying pressure or circular rubbing movements to patients may enter the area where other meridians pass and create a different effect, it will be waited for 2 minutes without applying any pressure or rubbing movements on the bone protrusions where the meridian does not pass and where there are no active pressure points. The application will be determined to be approximately 2 cm away from the acupressure points. The application will again be done manually with the thumb. Each application will take approximately 18 minutes. 4 sessions of application and a total of 9 measurements will be made to the patients.