Polish Journal of Public Health

Original Article, Pol J Public Health 2020;130: 65-69

Monika Gesek¹, Iwona Morawik²

¹ Chair and Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Poland

2 Department of Anesthesiological Nursing and Intensive Medical Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Poland

10.2478/pjph-2020-0015

© 2020 Medical University of Lublin. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonComercial-No Derivs licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/)

Abstract

Introduction. The surgery and its circumstances are difficult situation for patient and his/her relatives. Patient is afraid of operation, itss consequences, hospitalization regardless of the type of surgery and course of anaesthesia. Obtaining reliable information by patient from the staff helps to understand the desirability of procedure and principles for preoperative preparation.

Aim. The assessment of the influence selected factors on the level of stress perceived by patients qualified for the anaesthesia before the operation.

Material and methods. A survey performed amongst 100 adult patients (women and men), qualified for anaesthesia prior to surgery in Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin (SPSK-4). Research tools – an authorial questionnaire composed of 19 questions and the scale of perceived stress PSS-10.

Discussion. Research has shown that level of stress before anaesthesia and surgery was significantly higher in group of women than men. Furthermore, respondents who work occupationally more frequently had high and very high level of stress compared to the surveyed with pension, retirement or unemployed. Age, place of living, education, marital status, material status, presence of intercurrent illness, type of operation/anaesthesia as well as number of procedures found no relationship regarding the level of perceived stress.

Conclusion. 1. The level of stress before anaesthesia for surgery is high. 2. Gender and professional activity affect the level of experienced stress. 3. The patient’s mental preparation may have an influence on perioperative stress reduction.

Keywords: surgery, anaesthesia, preoperative stress.