[Application of acupressure in nursing practice].

In an attempt to offer comfort, pain control and symptom management, nurses are increasingly offering acupressure as part of their focus on comprehensive patient care. According to many research reports, acupressure may be regarded as a viable nursing intervention. From a practical perspective, acupressure has several distinct advantages; it is non-invasive, free, and relatively easy to learn. Most importantly, since acupressure depends on neither tools nor products, it is more accessible than medical techniques, and easily taught to patients to enable them to engage in holistic self-treatment. Once patients learn the techniques involved, acupressure can be self-administered at home as required, thus reducing the dependence of patients on clinic visits. This paper provides a brief introduction to acupressure and its aims, and explains how it may be applied in nursing practice.