EFT May Help Nurses Cope with Pandemic Burnout

COVID-19 has led to high levels of stress and anxiety for many, especially healthcare workers. A new study suggests emotional freedom technique, or EFT, can be an effective way for nurses and other healthcare workers to manage pandemic-related stress.

EFT is a therapeutic procedure that involves a combination of gentle tapping on acupressure points accompanied by an affirmation or acceptance statement about an anxiety-evoking issue.

A randomized, controlled study of nurses who care for patients infected with COVID-19, published in December, 2020, in the journal Explore, found that nurses who received a single online group EFT session had a statistically significant reduction in stress, anxiety, and burnout levels.

The study findings were consistent with a 2019 study that examined the psychological and physiological effects of EFT. The researchers found that after a four-day training workshop on tapping, participants reported a 40% reduction in anxiety and a 35% reduction in depression, as well as reductions in pain, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and cravings. In addition, participants experienced measurable physiological effects such as an 8% reduction in resting heart rate and a 37% reduction in salivary cortisol levels, the hormone produced when the body is under stress.

While these studies did not examine the long-term effectiveness of EFT, the research suggests the technique can be a fast and easy-to-provide intervention for improving the mental health of frontline workers during the pandemic.