[Effects of the Nei-Guan acupressure by wrist band on postoperative nausea and vomiting after middle ear surgery].

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the effects of Nei-Guan acupressure using a wrist band on postoperative nausea and vomiting after middle ear surgery.

METHODS: The study design was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized posttest design. Forty patients were assigned into two groups of 20 patients, the wrist band group and the control group. In the wrist band group, acupressure was applied with a wrist band on the P6 point at both wrists from 30 min before to 24 hr after anesthesia.

RESULTS: The 1st hypothesis 'Applied wrist band groups will have a greater reduction in the nausea & vomiting grades by INVR than the control group' was accepted (t=2.303, p=.028). The 2nd hypothesis 'The Applied wrist band groups will have a greater reduction in the occurrence of nausea & vomiting than the control group' was partly accepted. The 3rd hypothesis 'The applied wrist band group will have a greater reduction in injection of antiemetics for 24 hr. post anesthesia than the control group' was rejected.

CONCLUSION: Acupressure on the P6 point using a wrist band is effective to alleviate nausea for middle ear surgery patients.