Benefits of hand massage on anxiety in preoperative outpatient: A quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-tests

Abstract

ContextSurgical patients experience procedure-related anxiety preoperatively. With delays and long waiting periods, surgical patients can experience increased anxiety and decreased satisfaction with their hospital visit. Main ObjectivesTo evaluate whether a 15-minute non-therapeutic hand massage provided by the Caring Hands massage volunteers would reduce anxiety levels, increase satisfaction, and decrease physiological parameters among preoperative surgical patients. DesignThis research study has a quasi-experimental design, with control and intervention groups, and pre and post-tests. Setting: This research study was conducted at Same Day Surgical Stations 53 and 63 at the Mayo Clinic Hospital, Methodist Campus, in Rochester Minnesota. PatientsOne hundred and thirty-eight surgical outpatients were recruited preoperatively, with 31 participants in the control group and 107 in the intervention group. InterventionsPatients in the control group were asked to rest for 15 min. Patients in the intervention group received a 15-minute non-therapeutic hand massage administered by the Caring Hands massage volunteers from the Mayo Clinic Volunteer Program. Main Outcome MeasuresPatient anxiety level and physiological parameters were measured and recorded before and after a resting session (control group) or a 15-minute non-therapeutic hand massage session (intervention group). Patients in the intervention group were also surveyed for satisfaction. The feasibility of incorporating a 15-minute non-therapeutic hand massage into the preoperative routine was also analyzed. ResultsAfter receiving a 15-minute non-therapeutic hand massage, patients experienced reduced anxiety levels and increased satisfaction. It was also found that it is feasible to add a 15-minute non-therapeutic hand massage to the routine of a same-day surgical station.