Effectiveness of Perioperative Nurse Led Intervention for Psychological Problems Among Patients Undergoing Surgery: A...

Preoperative and postoperative anxiety adversely affect pain, recovery, and patient experience. Nurse-led interventions are well-placed to address these outcomes, yet their effectiveness across the perioperative arc has not been synthesized with a specific focus on nurses. Hence, this review was done to determine the effectiveness of perioperative nurse-led interventions for psychological problems among patients undergoing surgery.

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Following PRISMA 2020, we searched major databases and trial registries from 2000 to the latest search date, including randomized and comparative nonrandomized studies of adult surgical patients receiving nurse-led psychological interventions versus usual care. Two reviewers screened, extracted, and assessed risk of bias (RoB 2/ROBINS-I). Random-effects meta-analyses used standardized mean differences with DerSimonian-Laird estimation; heterogeneity (Q, I², τ²), small-study effects (Egger's test when ≥10 studies), and leave-one-out analyses were performed.

Fifteen studies (n = 1,827) were included. For preoperative anxiety (10 studies; n = 1,059), nurse-led interventions produced a significant reduction (SMD = -1.13; 95% CI: -1.65 to -0.60), with high heterogeneity; Egger's test suggested no significant small-study effects (P = .064). For postoperative anxiety (8 studies; n = 784), effects also favored interventions (SMD = -0.87; 95% CI: -1.33 to -0.41), with high heterogeneity. Patient satisfaction improved (5 studies; n = 543; SMD = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.17 to 2.27), with substantial heterogeneity. Leave-one-out analyses showed robust findings across outcomes.

Perioperative nurse-led psychological interventions meaningfully reduce preoperative and postoperative anxiety and improve patient satisfaction. Despite heterogeneity and limited long-term data, the consistency and robustness of effects support integrating brief, structured, nurse-delivered psychological care as a routine component of perioperative pathways.