Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of foot bath therapy on operating room (OR) nurses' lower extremities edema, stress, and fatigue. Methods: This study used a randomized control group non-synchronized design. The data were collected from August to October 2013, and a total of 50 OR nurses in an university hospital in U Metropolitan City participated in the study: 25 nurses for the experimental group and 25 for the control group. The experimental group received foot bath in which feet were soaked in $40^{\circ}C$ water and immersed up to ankle line for 20 minutes per a day for 12 times. Results: There were significant decrease in the calf edema, physical stress, and fatigue between pre and post foot bath therapy. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that foot bath had the effect in decreasing lower extremities edema, stress, and fatigue among OR nurses. Foot bath therapy, therefore, is suggested as a comfort and easy-to-use method in clinical setting to reduce OR nurses' lower extremities edema, stress, and fatigue.

Keywords

• Foot bath therapy;
• Edema of the lower extremity;
• Stress;
• Fatigue;
• Operating room nurses

• 족욕요법;
• 하지부종;
• 스트레스;
• 피로;
• 수술실 간호사;