Access to the coping strategies. Managing anxiety in elective surgical patients

1. The prospect of surgery increases anxiety and reduces cognitive thinking, reducing the ability to cope. 2. Patients use information to reduce their anxiety. 3. Preoperative information has been shown to be effective in improving patient outcomes after surgery. 4. Theatre nurses must base their practice on research, and embrace a perioperative role, using such interventions as preoperative teaching, preparatory sensory information and active listening.