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Enrolling by Invitation

NCT Number: NCT05977894

Floatation Experience in Nurses and Physicians

The goal of this observational study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The main question it aims to answer is: will inventory wellbeing scores increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued? Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health, will be welcomed to participate in the floatation experience. Participants will be given an option to complete the Wellbeing Inventory survey prior to each floatation session.

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Key information

Conditions

Burnout, Professional Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout Burnout, Psychological Mental Disorders Negative Affect Occupational Diseases Occupational Stress Positive Affect Psychological Stress, Psychological Wellbeing

Age range

21 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital

Youngstown, Ohio, 44501, United States

About this study

The floatation program is a Mercy Health enterprise sponsored by the Mercy Health Mahoning Valley Foundation.The goal of this study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The investigators hypothesize that inventory wellbeing scores will increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued. Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health, will be welcomed to participate in the optional floatation program in Warren, Ohio at no financial cost to them. They will become aware of floatation options through the Mercy Health Be Well wellness program. Floatation monitoring will include assessments of wellbeing, nonstress, and positive affect scores. Participants will be given an option to complete the Wellbeing Inventory survey prior to each floatation session. This will be a self-reporting anonymous process. The investigator will never know the identity of the participant.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Nurses and physicians

Exclusion criteria

  • Any person that is not a physician or nurse at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital

Treatment and study plan

Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy

Other

During floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy), the participant enters a tank that is approximately 5 feet wide, 7 feet long and 5 feet high. The tank is filled with a 10 inch height of water containing enough Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to create body buoyancy. The water temperature is 93.5 degrees F, an approximate equivalent for normal skin temperature. Ear plugs are used to mitigate sound and the tank is without light illumination to prevent visual stimulation. The sessions are typically 60 minutes in duration. The individual is "Floating-in Solitude, Darkness, Silence, and Thermal-Neutrality." This experience reduces external sensory nervous system input and creates an extraordinarily deep state of mental and physical relaxation.

Other names: Floatation-REST

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in the inventory wellbeing score

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

    The sum of the positive affect and nonstress scores (range 11-55)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in the nonstress score

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

    The sum of the reverse-scored ratings for the 7 negative affect items (range 7-35)

  2. Change in the positive affect score

    Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

    The sum of the ratings for the 4 positive affect items (range 4-20)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mercy Health Ohio

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Wellbeing Monitoring During Sequential Reduced Environmental Stimulation-Floatation

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Aug 7, 2023
Registry last updated
May 8, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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