Aims: The aim of this research is to examine what kind of socio-demographic factors may
have an influence on the degree of a patients' anxiety. It also deals with how successfully
nurses are able to judge the possible reasons and extent of the patients' anxiety, as well as
what kind of similarities or differences are shown in the opinions of the nursing staff
compared to the subjective judgement and opinions of the patients. Furthermore, it was also
examined how often similar focus points might appear in case of nurses' and patients'
opinions in relationship to the treatment of stress and anxiety.
Methods: The method of this research is in the form of questionnaires (patients – np = 70,
nurses – nn = 19). Patients
filled in an individually designed questionnaire and a questionnaire
of a Scale of Anxiety and Depression. The
figures were analysed with descriptive and
deductive statistical methods.
Results: In 67% of the cases the extent of the patients' anxiety was considered to be an
abnormal rate. The degree of anxiety did not show any significant relationship with the ways
of practising religion, with marital status and with previous surgeries, but it was connected
with the fact with whom the patient was living together with ( p ≤ 0.014). Nurses assessed the
efficiency of applying the methods of reducing anxiety at a much better rate than the
patients did.
Conclusions: The role of reducing the patients' preoperative anxiety must be emphasised and
in which the appropriate family background also plays an important part. The period of
hospital care before an operation is quite short and the nursing interventions become
routine work. Nurses are not fully aware to what extent patients are consumed with anxiety
in connection with nursing interventions.