title: Effects of intraoperative progress reports on anxiety levels of surgical patients' family members.
abstract: A three-group quasi-experimental posttest-only design was used to examine the effectiveness of intraoperative progress reports by comparing family members' state-anxiety score, mean arterial pressure level (MAP), and heart rate during elective surgical procedures. Control-group family members (n = 50) received usual care. Family members in the experimental group (n = 50) received a 5- to 10-minute progress report protocol about halfway through a surgical procedure. An additional group of family members (n = 50) received an attention protocol. Family members in the experimental group reported lower state-anxiety scores (p < .001) and had significantly lower MAP levels (p < .001) and heart rates (p < .01) compared with the control and attention groups. Progress reports appear to be a beneficial independent nursing intervention for reducing anxiety in family members during the intraoperative waiting period.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Nursing 53201, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Leske
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative