ASSOCIATION BETWEEN NURSE-LED COUNSELING AND ANXIETY LEVELS AMONG PREOPERATIVE PATIENTS

Abstract

Background Preoperative anxiety is a common psychological problem among patients awaiting elective surgery and is associated with adverse perioperative outcomes, including increased physiological stress, delayed recovery, prolonged hospitalization, and reduced patient satisfaction. Identifying the level of anxiety and associated factors is essential for improving perioperative nursing care and developing appropriate psychological support strategies. Aim To assess the level of preoperative anxiety among patients undergoing elective surgery and determine its association with selected socio-demographic and clinical characteristics at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 169 preoperative patients admitted to the surgical wards of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. The sample size was calculated using the Raosoft Sample Size Calculator based on a population of 300 patients. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising socio-demographic characteristics and a standardized preoperative anxiety assessment scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while the Chi-square test was applied to determine associations. A p-value < .05 was considered statistically significant. Results The findings revealed that 40.2% of participants had high anxiety, 38.5% had moderate anxiety, and 21.3% had low anxiety. Female patients, participants with lower educational levels, and those without previous surgical experience demonstrated significantly higher anxiety levels (p < .05). No significant association was found between anxiety and age or type of surgery. Conclusion Preoperative anxiety was highly prevalent among elective surgical patients. Routine anxiety assessment and structured nurse-led preoperative education should be integrated into perioperative nursing practice to improve patients' psychological well-being and surgical outcomes.