Influence of Nursing Information on Preoperative Anxiety

A large proportion of patients experience varying levels of anxiety when they undergo surgery, a critical event in the patient's life. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the information patients have and anxiety, and whether certain sociodemographic variables influence this anxiety. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational study was carried out on 200 patients undergoing elective surgery. A sociodemographic characterization questionnaire, an Information Scale and the IDATE-Y1 were applied. The results show that patients perceive themselves to be better informed about organizational and logistical aspects, compared to nursing care. As for the level of preoperative anxiety, statistically significant differences were found according to gender. On the other hand, preoperative information proved to be significantly related to the number of household members and the length of time on the waiting list. With regard to preoperative information, it can be concluded that nurses should invest in strengthening information about nursing care.