The Tapping Evidence Base
Burnout & Work Stress · Anxiety

Emotional Freedom Technique: Reducing Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout in Critical Care Nurses

Thomas, B. M., Cole, L. · Critical Care Nurse · 2026

Outcome study 👥 64 participants ⚖️ vs. None (single-group pre-post QI project) Preliminary ✓ Source-checked 📍 United States
In plain English. An ICU taught 64 of its nurses to tap; three months later stress was down about a third. No comparison group, so this is supportive real-world evidence rather than proof.

What they found

64
An ICU taught 64 of its nurses to tap; three months later stress was down about a third.

Single-group quality-improvement project (n=64): after an EFT workshop, critical care nurses' self-reported stress fell 35%, anxiety 18%, and burnout 3% over 3 months (all reported p<0.05). Within-group pre-post only, no control group, so no effect size recorded.

How the study worked

Who took part Critical care nurses at a cardiovascular specialty hospital (64 of 68 invited); quality-improvement project, EFT workshop + 3-month practice period (n=64)
What they did Participants received tapping and were measured before and after, without a separate comparison group.
Compared with None (single-group pre-post QI project)
Measured with Stress, Anxiety, Burnout

💡 Where this could help

Real-world occupational-burnout signal in a high-stress clinical workforce; useful as supportive, not confirmatory, evidence.

🔬 What to study next

The natural next step: a randomized controlled design.

The full record

DesignOutcome study
Participants64 people
PopulationCritical care nurses at a cardiovascular specialty hospital (64 of 68 invited); quality-improvement project, EFT workshop + 3-month practice period
Comparison groupNone (single-group pre-post QI project)
Outcome measuresStress, Anxiety, Burnout
JournalCritical Care Nurse
Year2026
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
MethodEFT / Tapping
Publication typeStudy / trial
Verification✓ Confirmed against the primary source

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Cite this study

APA

Thomas, B. M., & Cole, L. (2026). Emotional Freedom Technique: Reducing Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout in Critical Care Nurses. Critical Care Nurse. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2026182

This record is part of the Tapping Evidence Base — an openly-sourced, fully-referenced directory of the research on EFT/Tapping. Explore more studies on Burnout & Work Stress · Anxiety

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THE TAPPING EVIDENCE BASE Burnout & Work Stress 64 participants WHAT THEY FOUND Single-group quality-improvement project(n=64): after an EFT workshop, critical carenurses' self-reported stress… Outcome study · 64 participants Thomas · 2026 · evidence.thetappingsolution.com