The Effect of Hand Massage on the Anxiety of the Hysterectomy Patients in Immediately prior to Surgery

Kim, Jeong Mee

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hand massage as a nursing intervention on the anxiety of the hysterectomy patients in immediately prior to surgery. The method of this study was Nonequivalent Control Group Non-Synchronized Design. The data were selected from at K university hospital in Pusan, and they consisted of Experimental group-25 patients, Control group -24 patients. The data were collected from Jan. 4 to Jan. 30 in 1999. The subjects' self-reports of anxiety (measured by the Spielberger Trait-State anxiety Inventory and Visual Analogue Scale developed by Cline et al.) were recorded before and immediately after the intervention. The objective physiologic measures of blood pressure and pulse rate. The collected data were analysed by means of frequency, percentage, standard deviation, chi- square test, t-test, ANCOVA with SPSS program. The results of this study were as following; 1. Hypothesis 1: The 1st hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the state anxiety level just before surgery in the experimental group and control group" was supported(P= .000). 2. Hypothesis 2: The 2nd hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the visual analogue scale score just before surgery in the experimental group and control group"was supported(P= .000). 3. Hypothesis 3: The 3rd hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure level just before surgery in the experimental group and control group"was supported (P= .003, P= .041). 4. Hypothesis 4: The 4th hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the pulse rate just before surgery in the experimental group and control group"was supported(P= .004). In conclusion, hand massage is a benefical nursing intervention that alleviates the psychological, physiological anxiety of the hysterectomy patients in immediately prior to surgery. therefore it is recomended to use the hand massage as a nursing intervention for patients undergoing anxiety. The results of this study appear promising, additional research is recomended to further the appropriate uses of hand massage in nursing practice for this and other patient population.