Reiki, Nursing, and Health Care

The Effect of Distance Reiki on State Test Anxiety and Test Performance: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

This randomized controlled, pretest-post-test intervention study examined the effect of distance reiki on state test anxiety and test performance.

METHOD

First-year nursing students (n = 71) were randomized into two groups. One week before the examination, intervention group participants performed reiki remotely for 20 minutes for 4 consecutive days, and control group participants received no intervention.

RESULTS

The intervention group had lower posttest cognitive and psychosocial subscale scores than pretest scores (p > .05). The control group had a significantly higher mean posttest physiological subscale score than pretest score (p < .05). Final grade point averages were not significantly different between the intervention and control groups (p > .05). One quarter of the intervention group participants noted reiki reduced their stress and helped them perform better on the examination.

CONCLUSION

Reiki is a safe and easy-to-practice method to help students cope with test anxiety. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(5):298-303.].

The Effect of Reiki on Pain, Functional Status, and Holistic Well-Being in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease that causes pain and adversely affects functional status and holistic well-being. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of Reiki on pain, functional status, and holistic well-being in patients with knee OA. The sample consisted of 42 patients. The control group received standardized treatment only, whereas the intervention group received face-to-face Reiki (nine positions; 39 minutes) and distance Reiki on two consecutive days in addition to standardized treatment. The Reiki group had lower pain scores than the control group as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (p < .001) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index pain score (p < .001). Those participating in the Reiki group had improved holistic well-being scores specifically for the subscales of Sadness, Perception of Sadness, Spiritual Disruption, Cognitive Awareness, and General mood. Reiki is a safe, noninvasive, and cost-effective alternative treatment technique that has the potential to reduce symptoms of pain and improve holistic well-being in patients with knee OA.

The Effect of Distant Reiki on the Stress and Fatigue Levels of Nurses Working in COVID-19 Clinics: A Randomized-Controlled, Single-Blind Study

The study was conducted using a pre/posttest, randomized-controlled, single-blind trial method. After the pretest, a survey was administered and, distant Reiki was applied to nurses in the intervention group (n = 30) for 20 minutes a day for 4 consecutive days at a usual time. No intervention was made in the control group (n = 32). On the second day after the fourth Reiki session, a posttest survey was administered to nurses in the intervention group. The control group, on the other hand, was administered the posttest survey together with the last intervention group. As a result, in the intervention group, there was a decrease in the mean scores of the Helpless Approach subdimension on the Coping Style Scale and an increase in the mean scores of the Optimistic Approach and Social Support subdimensions ( P < .05). In the Visual Analog Scale for Fatigue, the mean Fatigue score in the intervention group decreased and there was an increase in the Energy subdimension mean score ( P < .05).

The Effect of Distant Reiki Sessions on Holistic Well-Being

This study investigated the effect of distant Reiki sessions on the holistic well-being of people without no acute/chronic diseases. The study was conducted between February 1 and March 31, 2022. The sample consisted of 180 healthy people living in a city in Turkey. Participants attended 20-minute distant Reiki sessions (intervention) for 4 consecutive days. Pretest data were collected using a personal information form, the Holistic Well-Being Scale (HWBS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS). Posttest data were collected 2 days (posttest I) and 1 week after the intervention (posttest II) using the HWBS, PANAS, and SVS. There was a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest I and II HWBS subscale scores ( P < .05). There was a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest PANAS and SVS scores ( P < .05). Distant Reiki sessions improved participants' holistic well-being. They also helped them develop a positive mood, experience and perceive less sadness, and develop subjective vitality and cognitive awareness.

Feasibility and Effect of Reiki on the Physiology and Self-perceived Stress of Nurses in a Large US Hospital

Nurses experience stress in the workplace. We evaluated the feasibility and effect of Reiki to relieve stress of staff nurses during a work shift. All Reiki treatments were completed without interruption and lasted 30 minutes. Stress scores, respiratory rate, and heart rate were significantly decreased immediately following the Reiki treatment.