Improving Self-Reported Preoperative Anxiety Through a Preoperative Education Program: A Quality Improvement Project

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Patient Outcomes
• Anxiety Management

Background:

• Preoperative anxiety affects 11-80% of surgical patients, causing physical and emotional distress.
• Anxiety can lead to adverse pathophysiological responses, increasing perioperative risks.
• Effective preoperative education is crucial for patient preparation and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a preoperative education program for thoracic surgery patients.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in reducing self-reported anxiety using the PROMIS tool.

Main Methods:

• Pilot quality improvement project utilizing a pre- and posttest design.
• 15 thoracic surgery patients participated in the study.
• Anxiety levels were measured at three timepoints: pre- and post-education.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant reduction in self-reported anxiety was observed (p = .538).
• Patients reported improvements in expectations, pain perception, and preparedness.
• The education program positively impacted non-anxiety related outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Preoperative education may not directly decrease anxiety in thoracic surgery patients.
• Patient education significantly improves expectations, pain management, and preparedness.
• Further research is needed to explore anxiety reduction strategies in surgical patients.