The Effect of Preoperative Educational Intervention on Anxiety and Pain of Patients Undergoing Spinal Decompression Surgery: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Preoperative patient education is an effective intervention of the healthcare team, which has been used to promote patient recovery and well-being. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a nursing preoperative educational intervention on the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing spinal decompression surgery. Methods: In this pilot randomized controlled study, patients (n=40) undergoing spinal decompression surgery, were randomized into an intervention group (underwent educational intervention, n=23) and a control group (n=17). The preoperative educational intervention included an oral briefing and a leaflet with perioperative care information as well as post-discharge care. Participants completed the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), the subscale “State” of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), the Numerical Rating Scale, and a questionnaire about demographic characteristics, the day before surgery (T0) and the first post-operation day (T1). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. The statistical significance level was set at p<0.05. Results. A significant reduction was found in pain intensity before and after surgery in both groups. Pain levels, after surgery, were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to pain levels in the control group (t=2.174, p=0.036). In both groups, high state anxiety scores on the STAI-S scale before surgery were confirmed by high anxiety scores in APAIS(surgery). Additionally, in both groups after surgery, high state anxiety scores on the STAI-S scale were associated with high pain levels. There were no statistically significant group differences with regard to scores of STAI-S before and after surgery. Conclusions. Nursing preoperative educational intervention in patients undergoing spinal decompression surgery had a positive impact on reducing the intensity of pain after surgery. These results indicated that nurses and health care providers should integrate patient education and health literacy into their daily clinical practice.