The effect of visiting surgical patients in the postanesthesia care unit on family members' anxiety: a prospective quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Purpose: Surgical procedures pose stressful events for patients and their family members. The main purpose of this study was to determine if visiting patients in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) would reduce the anxiety levels of Greek patients' family members.

Design: A prospective study with a one-group quasi-experimental pretest/post-test design was used.

Methods: Situational anxiety of surgical patients' relatives was assessed using the state subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Greek validation) at the beginning of the surgical procedure and again after their visitation of patients in the PACU.

Findings: STAI scores were significantly higher preoperatively (57 [23-80]) than postoperatively (51 [21-77]; P=.000008). Clinically significant levels of anxiety were present in 76% and 58% of the participants, pre- and postoperatively, respectively.

Conclusions: Although postoperative STAI scores were reduced, family visitation in the PACU did not sufficiently reduce the anxiety of Greek family members to clinically acceptable levels.

Keywords: anxiety; family visitation; perianesthesia nursing; research; surgery.