Biofeedback Effects on Nursing Personal at an University Hospital

Biofeedback Efects on Stress, Anxiety, and Quality of Professional Life on Nursing Staff of an University Hospital

Randomized Clinical Trial comparing two groups: placebo group without self-monitoring of heart rate variability (HRV) and biofeedback intervention that includes self-monitoring of HRV

Its main objective is to evaluate the effects of Biofeedback intervention on the stress, and anxiety levels, as well as the quality of professional life, and their coping mechanisms, of a nursing staff from de Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. The research will have two phases, first to select the nursing staff sample, and then to apply and evaluate the intervention. From 2.219 individuals will be randomly drawn a sample of 272 participants. All will respond a questionnaire (Vasconcelos Symptoms and Stress List) in order to obtain a general level of stress score greater than 1 (inclusion criteria to enter the RCT). The 272 group will be randomly split in two groups (136 subjects each) to compare the intervention vs placebo.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Nursing staff
• Both sexes
• Working activities
• Admitted in the last 90 days
• Presenting a level stress greater then 1

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant and breast feeding professionals
• Those away from work a long time, and or returning from vacations in the last 15 days. ----Participants with any kind of cardiac pathology