A randomized comparative study of three different educational interventions prior to ovarian puncture, measuring preoperative anxiety

Background: Surgery and infertility are stressful experiences for patients. Information provision has been considered to reduce adverse pre-operative anxiety - related effects. Therefore, a variety of educational interventions have been implemented to assist patients with surgery. But, the most effective approach to education has yet to be established.Objective: The study was comparing the effectiveness of peer, nurse with physician education on pre-operative anxiety in infertile women.Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 198 eligible infertile women were randomized into three groups: the nurse, peer, or physician education. The patients were educated before their scheduled surgery. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was filled out by all participants for measuring the patient anxiety at the time of hospital admission and the prior to surgery. Participants in the nurse-educated and peer-educated groups received a group education program by a nurse or peer, respectively, after the initial completion of the STAI. The physician education group were educated at the time of admission and their discharge as a part of the routines care.Results: The mean score anxiety was 44.47, 46.92, and 42.60 at the time of hospital admission and 39.38, 41.06, and 43.42, prior to surgery in the nurse, peer, and also the physician education patient groups, respectively. There was a significant difference in the mean score anxiety in each group before and after the intervention (p<0.0001). The difference among the groups was not significant.Conclusion: The results of this study can provide an empirical basis for nursing care. Our findings demonstrate that Patients awaiting infertility surgery need supportive interventions to reduce anxiety. Although all education interventions reduce the pre-operative anxiety, it seems peer education is more effective. Hence, making benefit of the peer s potential regarding the compensation for staff shortage for pre-operative education as well as investigating the effect of individual education is suggested for the further studies.

Keywords:

Pre-operative anxiety , Nurse education , Infertile women , Physician , Peer