The Effect of Hand Massage Applied Before Cataract Surgery on Anxiety, Surgical Fear, Pain and Physiological Parameters.

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.