Design of a Nursing Intervention Program to Prevent Adolescents' Perioperative Anxiety

Abstract

Introduction Adolescents undergoing surgery have expressed a willingness to obtain information about their surgery and to be involved in the decisions about their health care process. Around 80% of adolescents experience anxiety before undergoing surgery. On the basis of the adolescents' shared experiences, areas of possible nursing intervention have been identified to prevent anxiety and the multitude of adverse effects associated with it. The purpose of this study is to present a nursing intervention program to prevent perioperative anxiety in adolescents (3P2A) designed based on the first phase of the complex intervention's framework. Methods The design of this program followed the updated guidance for developing complex interventions issued by the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research. Five Portuguese nurses, experts in perioperative nursing, and pediatric specialists evaluated and validated the final version of this program. Results The nursing intervention program to prevent perioperative anxiety in adolescents (3P2A) consists of three phases that correspond to the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods. The first phase includes conducting a preoperative nursing consultation to identify stressors, providing written and verbal information about the surgery, and applying nonpharmacological interventions to reduce anxiety. In the intraoperative period, nonpharmacological interventions are implemented in the anesthetic induction room immediately before the adolescent falls asleep. Finally, the postoperative period comprises a nursing visit to identify postoperative complications and promote the adolescents' well-being. Discussion The program is structured with specific interventions to be implemented in each of the perioperative periods. Because of its flexibility, it may be fully or partially implemented considering the identified needs, priorities, and resources when caring for an adolescent with anxiety during the perioperative period.