[Anxiety, stress and preoperative surgical nursing]

The hospitalisation represents a stressful event, particularly for subjects facing surgical procedures. Assuming this situation is traumatic event in which anxiety and stress are lived experiences, we have analysed their influences and implications of the psychological aspects on surgical nursing care process. Patient affected of a various disease, waiting for surgery have been submitted a two different questionnaire (Cognitive, S.T.A.I.). The finding showed that different specific and complex aspects of hospital life are stressful conditions. The surgical procedures in general cause an increase of the level of anxiety in all subjects examinaed. This phenomenon was greater in those subjects in which the anxious personality was already present and in those with more serious disease. The surgical procedures is a stressful condition that require a positive adaptation for the patient and his relatives. The therapeutical-educative relationships represent the instrument to interact positively with the person and his need to be cured.