title: The effect of visiting surgical patients in the postanesthesia care unit on family members' anxiety: a prospective quasi-experimental study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgical procedures pose stressful events for patients and their family members. The main purpose of this study was to determine if visiting patients in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) would reduce the anxiety levels of Greek patients' family members.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study with a one-group quasi-experimental pretest/post-test design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Situational anxiety of surgical patients' relatives was assessed using the state subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Greek validation) at the beginning of the surgical procedure and again after their visitation of patients in the PACU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  STAI scores were significantly higher preoperatively (57 [23-80]) than postoperatively (51 [21-77]; P=.000008). Clinically significant levels of anxiety were present in 76% and 58% of the participants, pre- and postoperatively, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although postoperative STAI scores were reduced, family visitation in the PACU did not sufficiently reduce the anxiety of Greek family members to clinically acceptable levels.
authors.forename: Athina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patelarou
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melidoniotis
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sgouraki
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karatzi
authors.forename: Xenia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Souvatzis
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D011997:Recovery Room; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D014789:Visitors to Patients
keywords: anxiety; family visitation; perianesthesia nursing; research; surgery