The Effect of Reiki Application on Pain Severity and Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Reiki on pain intensity and quality of life in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment. Materials and methods The research was conducted as a qualitative study using pretest-posttest, double-blind, randomized controlled study and semi-structured in-depth interview. In this study, patients receiving HD treatment in three separate private dialysis centers in Turkey were randomized to Reiki and sham Reiki groups. In the first three hours of the HD session, in the first three hours of the HD session, three sessions a week for a total of 12 sessions for 30 minutes (min), the first level is applied to 9 main points (crown, forehead, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root chakras, knees, ankles and feet). While applying Reiki, the sham Reiki group was touched at the same points for the same period of time by the uninitiated practitioner. At the beginning and end of the study, Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOLTM-36) scores, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS-Pain) before and after the application, and psychodynamic reactions experienced during the Reiki application after the application were evaluated. At the end of the research, the Reiki group's opinions about the Reiki experience were collected using a form consisting of semi-structured questions.