Relationship of an intensive preoperative nursing program to the anxiety level and postoperative outcomes in patients with cholecystectomy surgery

The purpose of this study was to determine if a planned intensive preoperative nursing intervention would reduce the anxiety level of the patient preparing to undergo cholecystectomy surgery and would assist in an uneventful postoperative recovery. Intensive preoperative nursing care was defined as a planned preoperative program, which consisted of establishing a line of communication with the patient prior to surgery; allowing the patient to ventilate his feelings; ascertaining his level of knowledge; clarifying his misconceptions and explaining to him the expected pre- and postoperative procedures. The evening prior to surgery,, the investigator administered the intensive nursing care program to each patient in the experimental group. The Mood and Feelings Inventory and the Hospital Reaction Questionnaire (Quinn, Wolfer and Davis, I969), were used to measure the pre- and postoperative anxiety levels of the control, and experimental groups (15 in number). The postoperative complications of the number of narcotics and sedatives; the episodes of vomiting; anorexia and urinary problems were tabulated. The data were collected on all patients prior to surgery and on the sixth postoperative day. The t test was used to determine if there was a significant difference in the mean scores between the control and experimental groups. The findings showed that the preoperative intensive nursing care program did not make a significant difference in the anxiety level of the groups. There was, in regard to complications, a significant difference in the frequency of postoperative vomiting ( P = <.05). The number of narcotics administered were less in the experimental group which indicated a positive clinical trend, but not one of statistical significance. Limitations of the study were: the small size of the sample, the uncontrolled variables related to surgeons, clinical staff and facilities.