Effect of Reiki as a stress management technique for parents of hospitalized neonates

Objective: To determine the effect of Reiki, as nursing care, on parental stress in mothers with hospitalized neonates. Materials and methods: Explanatory, pre-experimental study, carried out on mothers of hospitalized neonates. Sampling was by availability and a total of thirty-two mothers over 18 years of age participated voluntarily. Results: 9.4% of the participants had an excessive level of parental stress, with the highest level of stress occurring in the parental role. The pre- and post-intervention parental stress scores had a difference of 12 points (p<0.004). Conclusions: Because the levels of parental stress following Reiki Therapy decreased, with significant statistical difference, the research hypothesis is accepted. The results of the intervention offer an alternative to be considered as a nursing intervention within the NICU in the management of parental stress.