The Effectiveness of a Preoperative Critical Care Orientation on Postoperative Anxiety of Family Members.
Abstract
A pretest/posttest 2-group quasi-experimental design was used to study the effect of a preoperative critical care unit tour and informational booklet on postoperative anxiety as evidenced by: (1) heart rate (HR), (2) blood pressure (BP), (3) Spielberger's State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), (4) a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and (5) the experimental group's feedback on the interventions. The study was based on Jean Johnson's theory of Concrete Objective Information (formerly called preparatory sensory information). A convenience sample of eight family member (control n=3, experimental n=5) of patients scheduled for critical care unit placement following cardiac surgery was obtained. Treatment effect was noted between the groups. Physiologic measures yielded conflicting significant results with the control group having an increase in MAP while the experimental group's HR increased. However, the experimental group's VAS score of anxiety was significantly reduced. Responses to a follow-up questionnaire given to the experimental subjects were positive in support of both a tour of the critical care area and providing an information booklet. Although data were collected from a small sample, this study lends support for providing information interventions to reduce anxiety in family members of patients in a critical care unit
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA281832
Entities
People
- Barbara Mcgurgan
- Naomi Strano
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology