Abdominal surgery, pain and anxiety: preoperative nursing intervention

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Abstract
Aim.  This paper reports a study examining the effects of preoperative nursing intervention for pain on abdominal surgery preoperative anxiety and attitude to pain, and postoperative pain.Method.  In a randomized controlled study conducted between January and August 2001, patients undergoing abdominal surgery in a medical center in southern Taiwan were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 32) or control group (n = 30). The experimental group received routine care and preoperative nursing intervention for pain, while the control group received routine care only. A structured questionnaire including an anxiety scale, pain attitude scale, and Brief Pain Inventory was used to assess the results.Results.  Participants in the experimental group experienced a significant decrease in preoperative anxiety and a significant improvement in preoperative pain attitude. They also had statistically significantly lower postoperative pain intensity for 4 hours after surgery and lower highest pain intensity within the first 24 hours after surgery. Perceived pain interference during position changes, deep breathing/coughing, and moments of emotion in the experimental group was statistically significantly lower than that of the control group in the same situations. The experimental group also started out‐of‐bed activities 1·5 days earlier.Conclusion.  Preoperative nursing intervention for pain has positive effects for patients undergoing abdominal surgery. The intervention used in this study could serve as a guide for nurses to improve the pain care of these patients.

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