Yes, I want to walk to the OR

The health consumer of today is a more active participant in his or her health care. Although clients may require surgery, many of them do not consider themselves as being ill preoperatively. Health care professionals have a tendency to place the client in a dependent, ill role upon entering the health care facility. At this health care facility, clients are given the choice of either walking to the operating room, or going by stretcher. Studies found in the literature suggest that personal control is central to the reduction of clients' stress-related signs and symptoms. Nurses need to encourage client participation and assist the client to take control over those factors that are controllable. Utilizing King's (1981) conceptual framework, active client participation in mutual goal-setting, decision-making, and interactions to achieve the mutual goals in relation to health care is encouraged. All clients who attended the Preadmission Assessment Clinic were potential participants for this study. On the day of surgery, clients were asked by the nurse if they would prefer to walk to the operating room or go by stretcher. The majority of clients chose to walk to the operating room. The choice made by many of the clients is consistent with the findings in the literature stating that clients need a sense of control in what is often perceived as an uncontrollable environment.