[The waiting process in relatives of patients submitted to surgery: staff perceptions]

Waiting for a close relative undergoing health treatment is an issue mainly considered in the light of intensive care structures whereas litte attention had been paid to the waiting process during surgery, particularly with reference to health workers. The aim of this study was to describe how health workers perceived this process and how they behaved, in a small hospital in North-Eastern Italy, by means of a semi-structured interview. The problems and needs perceived by the 41 health workers were mainly psychological: anxiety and stress due to waiting ,lack of information about the operation and post-operative conditions. Results showed that no specific action was taken regarding relatives: information was provided on an individual basis and almost always once the operation had ended. Nurses sustained that this information should be provided by physicians. These results are similar to those published in the literature. Health workers were however aware of the need to provide relatives with adequate support during operations.