The Effect of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy on Cognitive Failure in Nurses Working in COVID-19 Wards.

Abstract

Background: Because nurses are involved in providing care to their patients, cognitive failure can interfere with vital healthcare tasks. Emotional issues, stress, and anxiety can expedite the occurrence of cognitive failure and interventions are needed to help overcome this problem. Therefore, the aim of the present randomized clinical trial study was to evaluate the effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on cognitive failure among nurses.

Materials and methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial involving 90 nurses selected through purposive sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups using block randomization. Data were collected at three time points: before the intervention, immediately after, and 3 months postintervention, using the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. The EMDR intervention was delivered individually in four sessions, each held every other day, following the standard eight-phase protocol. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: Results indicated that EMDR was effective in decreasing the rate of cognitive failure among nurses in the experimental group compared to the control group both immediately after the intervention and three months after the intervention) p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Based on the findings, EMDR is recommended to improve cognitive impairment among nurses.