Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hand massage applied before cataract surgery on anxiety, surgical fear, pain, and physiological parameters. Design: Randomized controlled experimental study. Methods: The sample of this prospective randomized controlled experimental study comprised 60 patients (30 intervention and 30 control) who had cataract surgery in the Eye Operating Room of a hospital. Data were collected with The Personal Information Form, Physiological Parameters Registration Form, Visual Analog Scale (VAS)-Anxiety, Surgical Fear Questionnaire, and VAS-Pain scale. In the study, patients in the intervention group received a 10 minutes hand massage before cataract surgery. Findings: Results showed that the anxiety and surgery fear of patients decreased after hand massage (for all; P < .05). While the VAS-Pain score of the intervention group was 1.00 (2.00), it was 2.00 (1.00) for the control group (P < .05). The total Surgical Fear Questionnaire mean scores of the patients in the intervention group after hand massage was lower compared with the control group (P < .05). Conclusions: Hand massage applied before cataract surgery reduced the patients' anxiety, surgical fear, pain levels and positively affected their physiological parameters.