{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T01:05:13Z","timestamp":1775005513162,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"AACN Publishing","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Critical care nurses often experience stress, anxiety, and burnout as a result of their high-stress work environments, frequent life-or-death situations, frequent need to make critical decisions, and high-acuity patients. These negative emotional states\u2014which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014may affect their work, personal lives, and overall well-being.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Local Problem<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A survey of employees of a cardiovascular specialty hospital showed that 9.7% of nurses working in the intensive care unit rated their degree of stress at work as unmanageable, with 8.3% reporting moderate stress. In addition, 11.1% of the nurses reported severe burnout. Therefore, a quality improvement project was implemented to reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout levels among these critical care nurses by at least 30% over a 3-month period using the Emotional Freedom Technique.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A workshop was developed for critical care nurses on how to appropriately use the Emotional Freedom Technique to reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout. Participating nurses were surveyed before and after the intervention. All of the participants demonstrated understanding using the educational technique of return demonstration.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 68 critical care nurses were invited to participate in this project, of whom 64 attended the workshop and completed the surveys. Use of the Emotional Freedom Technique resulted in overall reductions in stress, anxiety, and burnout of 35%, 18%, and 3%, respectively, with the results being statistically significant (P &amp;lt; .05).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Use of the Emotional Freedom Technique is an effective strategy for reducing stress, anxiety, and burnout among critical care nurses.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4037\/ccn2026182","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T00:02:37Z","timestamp":1775001757000},"page":"54-60","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Emotional Freedom Technique: Reducing Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout in Critical Care Nurses"],"prefix":"10.4037","volume":"46","author":[{"given":"Briana M.","family":"Thomas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Briana M. Thomas is a DNP graduate at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cizik School of Nursing, in Houston, Texas."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Linda","family":"Cole","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Linda Cole is an associate professor and codirector of the DNP program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Cizik School of Nursing."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"2471","reference":[{"key":"2026033120023288400_b1-0460054","unstructured":"Brenan\u2008M\n          . Nurses retain top ethics rating in U.S., but below 2020 high. Gallup News. Published January 10, 2023. Accessed September 8, 2023. https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/467804\/nurses-retain-top-ethics-rating-below-2020-high.aspx"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b2-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"901","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2020.05.026","article-title":"Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"88","author":"Pappa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Brain Behav Immun"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026033120023288400_b3-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1186\/s12960-020-00544-1","article-title":"The prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression within front-line healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-regression","volume":"18","author":"Salari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Hum Resour Health"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b4-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2515690X18823691","DOI":"10.1177\/2515690X18823691","article-title":"Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) improves multiple physiological markers of health","volume":"24","author":"Bach","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Evid Based Integr Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"2026033120023288400_b5-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1177\/0898010116648456","article-title":"The Emotional Freedom Technique: finally, a unifying theory for the practice of holistic nursing, or too good to be true?","volume":"35","author":"Rancour","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Holist Nurs"},{"issue":"5","key":"2026033120023288400_b6-0460054","first-page":"40","article-title":"The effect of a brief Emotional Freedom Techniques self-intervention on anxiety, depression, pain, and cravings in health care workers","volume":"9","author":"Church","year":"2010","journal-title":"Integr Med"},{"issue":"2","key":"2026033120023288400_b7-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/j.explore.2020.11.012","article-title":"The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on nurses\u2019 stress, anxiety, and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"17","author":"Dincer","year":"2021","journal-title":"Explore (NY)"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b8-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2156587218756510","DOI":"10.1177\/2156587218756510","article-title":"Borrowing benefits: group treatment with clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques is associated with simultaneous reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression symptoms","volume":"23","author":"Church","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Evid Based Integr Med"},{"issue":"5","key":"2026033120023288400_b9-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.1097\/NMD.0000000000000483","article-title":"Emotional Freedom Techniques for anxiety: a systematic review with meta-analysis","volume":"204","author":"Clond","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Nerv Ment Dis"},{"issue":"6","key":"2026033120023288400_b10-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"416","DOI":"10.1016\/j.explore.2016.08.001","article-title":"A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized trials of clinical emotional freedom techniques (EFT) for the treatment of depression","volume":"12","author":"Nelms","year":"2016","journal-title":"Explore (NY)"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b11-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2016.02.003","article-title":"The effect of emotional freedom technique on stress and anxiety in nursing students: a pilot study","volume":"40","author":"Patterson","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nurse Educ Today"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026033120023288400_b12-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1016\/j.explore.2016.10.001","article-title":"The effectiveness of emotional freedom techniques in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: a meta-analysis","volume":"13","author":"Sebastian","year":"2017","journal-title":"Explore (NY)"},{"issue":"6","key":"2026033120023288400_b13-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2022.12437","article-title":"Addressing well-being throughout the health care workforce: the next imperative","volume":"328","author":"Rotenstein","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b14-0460054","unstructured":"Gamble\u2008M\n          . The cost of nurse turnover in 24 numbers. Becker\u2019s Hospital Review. Published April 7, 2022. Accessed February 22, 2024. https:\/\/www.beckershospitalreview.com\/finance\/the-cost-of-nurse-turnover-in-24-numbers-2024.html#:~:text=It%20found%20the%20average%20cost,healthcare's%20most%20challenging%20labor%20disruptions"},{"issue":"4","key":"2026033120023288400_b15-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1097\/NND.0000000000000274","article-title":"Measuring return on investment for professional development activities: implications for practice","volume":"32","author":"Opperman","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Nurses Prof Dev"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b16-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbi.2020.04.049","article-title":"A multinational, multicentre study on the psychological outcomes and associated physical symptoms amongst healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak","volume":"88","author":"Chew","year":"2020","journal-title":"Brain Behav Immun"},{"issue":"10","key":"2026033120023288400_b17-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"783","DOI":"10.1097\/NMD.0000000000000878","article-title":"Is tapping on acupuncture points an active ingredient in Emotional Freedom Techniques? a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies","volume":"206","author":"Church","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Nerv Ment Dis"},{"issue":"8","key":"2026033120023288400_b18-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci9080206","article-title":"How therapeutic tapping can alter neural correlates of emotional prosody processing in anxiety","volume":"9","author":"K\u00f6nig","year":"2019","journal-title":"Brain Sci"},{"issue":"11","key":"2026033120023288400_b19-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"CD013779","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD013779","article-title":"Interventions to support the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic: a mixed methods systematic review","volume":"11","author":"Pollock","year":"2020","journal-title":"Cochrane Database Syst Rev"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b20-0460054","unstructured":"Petiprin\u2008A\n          . Lewin\u2019s change theory. Nursing Theory. 2023. Accessed August 12, 2023. https:\/\/nursing-theory.org\/theories-and-models\/lewin-change-theory"},{"issue":"4","key":"2026033120023288400_b21-0460054","first-page":"446","article-title":"Professional nurses\u2019 facilitation of self-care in intensive care units: a concept analysis","volume":"7","author":"Chipu","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Nurs Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"2026033120023288400_b22-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1891\/1933-3196.2.1.57","article-title":"Validity of the Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale in EMDR","volume":"2","author":"Kim","year":"2008","journal-title":"J EMDR Pract Res"},{"issue":"4","key":"2026033120023288400_b23-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"603","DOI":"10.1177\/0013164402062004005","article-title":"Reliability generalization of scores on the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory","volume":"62","author":"Barnes","year":"2002","journal-title":"Educ Psychol Meas"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b24-0460054","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1439470","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1439470","article-title":"Validation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey 9-item short version: psychometric properties and measurement invariance across age, gender, and continent","volume":"15","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b25-0460054","unstructured":"Institute for Healthcare Improvement\n          . QI 103: testing and measuring changes with PDSA cycles. 2024. Accessed January 17, 2024. https:\/\/education.ihi.org\/topclass\/expand.do?template=New_CourseHome&id=238880772&activitytype=28&offeringId=15135&learningPage=TrainingHistory"},{"key":"2026033120023288400_b26-0460054","unstructured":"American Institute of Health Care Professionals\n          . Emotional Freedom Technique and meridian energy health tapping certification. Accessed July 21, 2025. https:\/\/aihcp.net\/emotional-freedom-technique-meridian-energy-tapping-certification"}],"container-title":["Critical Care Nurse"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/aacnjournals.org\/ccnonline\/article-pdf\/46\/2\/54\/169756\/54.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/aacnjournals.org\/ccnonline\/article-pdf\/46\/2\/54\/169756\/54.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]],"date-time":"2026-04-01T00:02:39Z","timestamp":1775001759000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/aacnjournals.org\/ccnonline\/article\/46\/2\/54\/32997\/Emotional-Freedom-Technique-Reducing-Stress"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]]},"references-count":26,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4037\/ccn2026182","relation":{},"ISSN":["0279-5442","1940-8250"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0279-5442","type":"print"},{"value":"1940-8250","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,1]]}}}