Nurse Initiated Acupressure for Pain Management
Nurse Initiated Acupressure for Pain Management
The purpose of pilot study is to test the feasibility of nurse initiated post-operative
 bilateral auricular acupressure as an adjunct to medication for post-operative pain
 management.
Postoperative pain management has become an area of concern over the last decade due to the
 opioid epidemic and concerns related to their use as the primary pain management strategy.
 Joint Commission requires that hospitals have additional pain non-pharmacologic pain
 management tools at their disposal to an effort decrease the reliance on opioids. Acupuncture
 and acupressure have been used for centuries in the management of a variety of disorders
 including pain. Unlike acupuncture, acupressure can be easily applied with limited training
 and is within the scope of practice for nurses, according to the North Carolina Board of
 Nursing. Thus evidence based non-pharmacologic strategies that can be deployed by nursing are
 of benefit to hospital organizations.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Adults 18-80 admitted for knee or hip arthroplasty

 -  Pre-surgery morphine equivalent < 50

 -  American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) score < 3

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Participants with a history of skin disease (psoriasis), adhesive allergy, history of
 delirium, or cognitive impairment