Abstract

Introduction: The waiting period for surgical patients' family members can be stressful, causing increased frustration and fear. Most patients and families do not regularly experience the surgical environment in the same way that the operating room (OR) staff do, making this area unfamiliar. If there are inconsistent and insufficient information provided to the family, anxiety levels may increase. It is essential that staff attend to family members' needs while the patient is in surgery. The evidence is overwhelming that structured patient status updates to family members and varying waiting room techniques are critical in decreasing their anxiety.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) project was conducted at a single-center ambulatory surgical location over three months. To assess the magnitude of the local problem, family member participants were asked to complete the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI). The STAI survey assessed the anxiety levels of the families who were waiting in either the waiting room, patient's OR, or another location such as outside the facility. The results of the needs assessment contributed to an understanding of the family's anxiety while they waited for their loved one in surgery.

Results: A total of 26 patients took part in this quality improvement project. Data revealed that 84% of the participants experienced no or low anxiety levels during the waiting period. p>Conclusion: It was shown that this self-reported STAI anxiety survey did aid in determining low anxiety levels for family member participants at the surgical site based on the communication strategies currently used.

Description

Tool(s) Used: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults, Roger's Diffusion of Innovation Theory, Institute for Healthcare Improvement Model, and Plan-Do-Study-Act Model

Author Details

Ashlie E. Sinclair, DNP, BSN, RN

Sigma Membership

Phi Kappa

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Quality Improvement

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Patient's Family Members, Anxiety, Communication, Intraoperative Period

Advisors

Kott, Kathryn||Gipson, Mary

Advisor

Kathryn Kott

Second Advisor

Mary Gipson

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Jacksonville University

Degree Year

2021

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Faculty Approved: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

Date of Issue

2021-10-13

Full Text of Presentation

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