Impact of chromotherapy on professional quality of life in intensive care unit nurses: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Professional quality of life (ProQOL) comprises two aspects: compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Although intensive care unit (ICU) nurses obtain professional satisfaction from their work, their repeated exposure to the aftermath of critical illness puts them at high risk for compassion fatigue. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of chromotherapy-based interventions on the ProQOL in ICU nurses. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 80 ICU nurses were assigned into 2 groups (experiment and control). A demographic form and ProQOL questionnaire were used for data collection. The interventions included three parts; (A) changing color of decoration in experimental ICU, such as the installation of color panels in ICU ward, (B) providing a mobile cover and a pencil case in yellow, orange, and green colors based on the principles of chromotherapy, for each of experimental group nurses, and (C) in addition, three educational sessions on chromotherapy were held and then participants received individualized consulting sessions weekly on chromotherapy applying in their personal life for 3 months. Results: Applying chromotherapy increased ProQOL score in all of its dimensions (satisfaction of compassion, fatigue due to compassion, and secondary post-traumatic stress) in the experimental group (p <.05). Conclusion: Chromotherapy may enhance ProQOL in ICU nurses. Interventions such as chromotherapy can be implemented easily to combat compassion fatigue and secondary post-traumatic stress in ICU nurses.