Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was to examine the effects of supportive nursing care on surgical patients in the operating room.
METHOD
This study was nonequivalent control group none-synchronized design. The data were collected during the period of July 26 through October 8, 1999 at K hospital in Kwangju. The subjects for the study were selected from those patients who were admitted to K hospital for abdominal surgery. Forty-eight adult subjects were selected and evenly divided into two groups: 24 for the experimental group and the other 24 for the control group, respectively. The tool used for measuring state and trait anxiety was the one originally worked out by Spilberger(1976), and translated by Kim Jung-Taek and Shin Dong-Kyun(1978) for suitable application for Koreans. Data were analyzed by x2-test, t-test, Chronbach's alpha coefficient using SAS/PC+.
RESULT
Results were as follows: 1. The degree of State anxiety was found to be lower in the experimental group who received supportive nursing care in the operating room immediately before an operation than the control group who did not."(p<.001). 2.There was no significant difference on the post-test blood pressure and pulse rate immediately before operation between the two groups(p>.05).
CONCLUSION
Results of the above study reveals that the supportive nursing care in the operating room is effective in alleviating the anxiety of patients. I suggest that it is highly desirable to apply supportive nursing care for those patients who are waiting for immediate surgery.

• Keywords: Surgical patient; Supportive nursing care; Anxiety