PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION OF SURGICAL PATIENTS

Abstract

In a study of the influence of psychological preparation for surgery, the evening before their surgery 25 experimental patients participated in a small group session at which they discussed their concerns and fears and received information about what to expect and how they could aid in their recuperation. They were contrasted with a randomly selected matched control group of 25 patients who underwent similar procedures, but received only the routine care. Verbal, interactional, and physiological variables were measured. The research hypothesis, that the extra preparation would increase patient participation, decrease tension and anxiety, and lead to a more rapid postoperative recovery, was supported. Experimental patients reported that they slept better and experienced less anxiety the morning of surgery; they recalled more facts about their experiences on the day of surgery, and their recollections less often involved fearful and unpleasant images; they experienced less operative urinary retention, required less unesthesia; they required less pain medication, returned more rapidly to oral intake, and were discharged sooner.

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