Publication Date

1980

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Pender, Nola J., 1941-

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Nursing

LCSH

Preoperative care; Surgery--Psychological aspects; Patient education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the most effective type of nursing intervention to minimize undesirable effects experienced by patients undergoing minor surgery. Two experimental preparatory interventions were tested; information about expected sensations and information about expected procedures relating to minor ophthalmic surgery. Three hypotheses were formulated: 1. Surgical patients who receive preoperative information that is descriptive of the expected sensations will experience less anxiety than surgical patients who receive preoperative information that is descriptive of the expected procedures. 2. Surgical patients who receive preoperative information that is descriptive of the expected sensations will experience less pain than surgical patients who receive preoperative information that is descriptive of the expected procedures. 3. Surgical patients who receive preoperative information that is descriptive of the expected sensations will experience a more accelerated posthospitalization rate of recovery than surgical patients who receive preoperative information that is descriptive of the expected procedures. The study was conducted in a university hospital in a large city in the midwest. The subjects were 45 ophthalmic surgical patients randomly placed into 1 of 3 groups: a group of 15 patients received preoperative information consisting of an explanation of expected sensations relating to the surgical experience; another group of 15 patients received preoperative information consisting of an explanation of expected procedures relating to the surgical experience; and a third group of 15 patients, the control group, received no specific planned information. The effects of the different types of preoperative information were measured by three dependent variables: anxiety, postoperative pain, and recovery rate. Anxiety was scored through a self-report technique administered on the preoperative, surgical, and postoperative days by an independent observer. Pain was evaluated by number of hours to first analgesic administration following surgery and pain intensity ratings by patients. Recovery rate was determined by the number of days posthospital discharge to the first venture from home. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and Newman-Keul's procedure. Results revealed that information about expected procedures was equally as effective as information about expected sensations in significantly decreasing subjective anxiety reports on the postoperative day (£ = .05). Both types of information were superior to no specific planned information in decreasing patient anxiety the day after surgery. No significant differences occurred among groups on observer ratings of anxiety, time to first analgesic administration, pain intensity ratings, or recovery rate. Results of the study supported the importance of nurses providing preparatory information to patients prior to minor surgery as a means of reducing postoperative anxiety. However, no differences in the effectiveness of sensation and procedure information were identified.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

v, 51 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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