Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Nature Sounds in Nursing Students

The Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Nature Sounds on Blood Pressure Measurement Skills, Anxiety Levels, and Vital Signs in Nursing Students

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of PMR and nature sounds on nursing students' BPM skills, and anxiety levels and vital signs. Methods: This was a randomized controlled experimental study conducted at the nursing department of the faculty of health sciences of a university. PMR participants rested for ten minutes between the sessions and then practiced PMR for 15 minutes. PMR+NS participants practiced PMR accompanied by nature sounds.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of PMR and nature sounds on nursing students' BPM skills, and anxiety levels and vital signs. Methods: This was a randomized controlled experimental study conducted at the nursing department of the faculty of health sciences of a university. PMR participants rested for ten minutes between the sessions and then practiced PMR for 15 minutes. PMR consisted of taking a deep breath five times and then clenching fists, raising the shoulders, bringing the forearms towards the body, stretching the triceps muscle, and tensing and relaxing the forehead, eye, chin, neck, chest, abdomen, back, hips, thigh, and feet muscles. The investigators made a video of exercises in a certain order and uploaded it to the television in the lab prior to the intervention. The investigators turned on the video during the intervention and asked the participants to follow the instructions for PMR exercises. PMR+NS participants practiced PMR accompanied by nature sounds.

PMR participants rested for ten minutes between the sessions and then practiced PMR for 15 minutes. PMR consisted of taking a deep breath five times and then clenching fists, raising the shoulders, bringing the forearms towards the body, stretching the triceps muscle, and tensing and relaxing the forehead, eye, chin, neck, chest, abdomen, back, hips, thigh, and feet muscles. The investigators made a video of exercises in a certain order and uploaded it to the television in the lab prior to the intervention.

PMR participants rested for ten minutes between the sessions and then practiced PMR for 15 minutes. PMR consisted of taking a deep breath five times and then clenching fists, raising the shoulders, bringing the forearms towards the body, stretching the triceps muscle, and tensing and relaxing the forehead, eye, chin, neck, chest, abdomen, back, hips, thigh, and feet muscles. The investigators made a video of exercises in a certain order and uploaded it to the television in the lab prior to the intervention. The investigators turned on the video during the intervention and asked the participants to follow the instructions for PMR exercises.

PMR+NS participants practiced PMR accompanied by nature sounds. PMR consisted of taking a deep breath five times and then clenching fists, raising the shoulders, bringing the forearms towards the body, stretching the triceps muscle, and tensing and relaxing the forehead, eye, chin, neck, chest, abdomen, back, hips, thigh, and feet muscles. The investigators made a video of exercises in a certain order and uploaded it to the television in the lab prior to the intervention. The investigators turned on the video during the intervention and asked the participants to follow the instructions for PMR exercises.

The STAI consists of two parts; the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) and the Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI). The SAI measures anxiety about an event while the TAI measures anxiety level as a personal characteristic. The TAI and SAI each consists of 20 items. The SAI items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale of 1 to 4 (1= never, 2= sometimes, 3= often, 4= always). The SAI items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale of 1 to 4 (1= almost never, 2= sometimes, 3= often, 4= almost always). Ten SAI items (1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, and 20) and six TAI items (1, 6, 7, 13, 16, and 19) are reverse scored. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety.

The SAI items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale of 1 to 4 (1= almost never, 2= sometimes, 3= often, 4= almost always). Ten SAI items (1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, and 20) and six TAI items (1, 6, 7, 13, 16, and 19) are reverse scored. Higher scores indicate greater anxiety

BPKT is a multiple-choice test consisting of 20 items on definitions, physiology, affecting factors, classification, measurement sites, planning, application auscultation/ palpation measurement, and evaluation. A correct response is scored 1, and therefore, the total score ranges from 0 to 20.

Inclusion Criteria: being a first-year nursing student voluntary participating in the theoretical part of the "Pulse and Blood Pressure Measurement" course and in lab practice. Exclusion Criteria: not participating in the theoretical part of the "Pulse and Blood Pressure Measurement" course and in lab practice.