The Effect of Comfort Nursing in Operating Room on Anxiety Depression and Postoperative Recovery in Thyroidectomy...

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of comfort nursing in the operating room on anxiety, depression and postoperative recovery in thyroidectomy patients with sleep disorders.

This retrospective analysis included 156 propensity-score-matched patients undergoing thyroidectomy at Taizhou Second People's Hospital (January 2023- September 2025). The patients were assigned to conventional care (n = 78) or comfort nursing (n = 78). Outcomes included Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), polysomnography (PSG), Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), thyroid cancer-specific quality of life (THYCA-QoL), recovery indices, complications and satisfaction.

Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant time, group and interaction effects for HADS-A, HADS-D and PSQI scores (all p < 0.001). Both groups improved postoperatively, with the comfort group showing greater reductions at 5 days and 4 weeks (p < 0.05). PSG parameters (total sleep time, sleep efficiency, REM%, sleep latency and microarousals) also improved in both groups, with superior outcomes in the comfort group (p < 0.05). Comfort nursing was associated with short times to first flatus and ambulation, reduced hospital stay, low choking incidence and high normal swallowing rate at 72 hours (p < 0.05). Complication rates did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). The comfort group achieved higher QoR-15 and lower VAS scores on days 1-3 (p < 0.001) and lower THYCA-QoL anxiety, psychological and sensory scores at 4 weeks (p < 0.001). Satisfaction was higher in the comfort group (84.62% vs. 69.23%, p < 0.05).

Operating room comfort nursing alleviates anxiety and depression, improves sleep architecture, promotes early recovery and enhances quality of life and satisfaction in thyroidectomy patients with sleep disorders.