The Effect of Preoperative Educational Intervention on Anxiety and Pain of Patients Undergoing Spinal Decompression Surgery: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Preoperative patient education is an effective intervention of the healthcare team, which has been used to promote patient recovery and well-being.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a nursing preoperative educational intervention on the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing spinal decompression surgery.Methods: In this pilot randomized controlled study, patients (n=40) undergoing spinal decompression surgery, were randomized into an intervention group (underwent educational intervention, n=23) and a control group (n=17). The preoperative educational intervention included an oral briefing and a leaflet with perioperative care information as well as post-discharge care. Participants completed the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), the subscale “State” of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), the Numerical Rating Scale, and a questionnaire about demographic characteristics, the day before surgery (T0) and the first post-operation day (T1). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. The statistical significance level was set at p