the effect of web-based progressive relaxation exercises (pre) on perceived stress and anxiety on nurses working in corona epidemic hospital: a randomized controlled trial

Background: the covid-19 pandemic has increased stress and anxiety levels in nurses, highlighting the need for effective interventions to prevent complications. objectives: this study aimed to determine the impact of web-based progressive relaxation exercises (pre) on the perceived stress and anxiety levels of nurses working in a corona epidemic hospital. methods: this randomised controlled trial was conducted in march-april 2021 with 64 nurses (32 per group), and the sample size was determined by power analysis. participants were randomly assigned via computer, including nurses from a corona epidemic hospital who consented. the intervention group practised progressive muscle relaxation (pmr) for 25 - 30 minutes daily for 4 weeks, whereas the control group received no intervention. both groups completed the perceived stress scale (pss) and the state-trait anxiety inventory (stai) online pre- and post-intervention. data were analysed with spss 23.0 using the shapiro-wilk test for normality, independent samples t-test for continuous variables, chi-square test for categorical variables, and paired samples t-test for pre- and post-test comparisons in the intervention group (p < 0.05). results: statistically significant decreases in pss and stai levels were observed in the intervention group (p = 0.006 and p = 0.002, respectively). no significant changes were seen in the control group. the intervention group showed a significant decrease in stai scores compared to the control group (p = 0.037). conclusions: results showed that web-based progressive relaxation significantly reduced stress and anxiety in nurses, suggesting that accessible interventions can improve mental health in high-stress healthcare settings.