This article is part of a captivating series on Sigma members who have recently achieved one of the highest honors in the field of nursing research: induction into Sigma’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame.
I’ve spent the past two decades adopting auriculotherapy (AT) for developing my program of research. AT is classified as a complementary and alternative therapy (CAM), a non-traumatic therapeutic method that stimulates specific points on the auricle to treat various body disorders. It is a specialized form of acupuncture in which the ear is viewed as a microsystem of the body. AT, using seed pressing or magnetic pellets, is cost-effective, hygienic, less traumatic than acupuncture, with fewer side effects, and is more readily accepted by clients than many other treatment approaches.
One of my major research contributions is the successful generation of scientific evidence using AT for stimulating ear acupoints for symptom management. Over the years, I have successfully led many clinical trials that use AT to treat sleep disturbances, low back pain, constipation, uncontrolled hypertension, obesity, etc. My studies have adopted an experimental approach to examine the therapeutic effects of AT, thus serving as a forerunner in this area.
My program of research for adopting AT as a CAM approach in nursing was an unpredictable journey. My first proposal for my doctoral study was intended to evaluate foot reflexology's effectiveness in managing sleep problems. After completing the proposal, I found that using foot reflexology as an intervention was inconvenient and required a longer time to administer the therapy. Moreover, applying pressure on the reflex zones on the feet caused tenderness and discomfort in clients. So I embarked on using AT, which is more convenient, hygienic, and non-traumatic because I used seeds or magnetic pellets to stimulate ear acupoints instead of using needles.
In addition to a stellar record of publication in high-quality international refereed journals, my work has generated media attention locally and is having an impact beyond academia. The promising research results have contributed to evidence-based practice, which benefits the community. I have actively promoted the therapy in several non-governmental organizations as a consultant in Hong Kong. Over 600 staff from 130 organizations have received training via “train-the-trainer” workshops. Nearly 1,500 clients received the treatment, either in individualized or group therapy, and 70-85% of them expressed that their sleep problems showed improvement.
I am actively involved in supervisory roles in various undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, too—a number of which are related to AT or infection control. The findings of these research projects would actualize research and underpin teachings by transferring the knowledge from research to education.
My strong research track records in these areas also facilitate me to extend my national and international collaborations with academics of other universities, including Johns Hopkins University in the USA and other tertiary institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and China. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to Professor Chao Hsing Yeh, who was posthumously inducted into Sigma’s International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame this year, too. Professor Yeh invited me to collaborate with her after she read my published work on AT. We worked closely together since 2012 and produced 20 joint publications over a decade. She was not only a good friend of mine, but also my academic mentor. I learned so much from her, and she gave me a lot of advice and encouragement while developing my research program. Her academic passion and perseverance will always be remembered.
The rapid development of technology in research certainly offers exciting opportunities to shape our future research directions. My future attention will focus more on the integration of technology in the use of AT and to demonstrate how interdisciplinary (such as the integration of AT with Western treatment approach, biomedical sciences, software engineering, and health technology) and inter-institutional efforts can work together to design and implement more robust scientific studies for guiding evidence-based practice.
Being inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame gives me more motivation to produce high-quality research work that substantially impacts society to improve humanity's well-being. Finally, I would like to share three Qs I think all novice nurse researchers should have:
Dr. Lorna Kwai Ping Suen is the Dean and Professor of the School of Nursing of Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, and a member of Sigma’s Pi Iota at-Large Chapter.