Effect of therapeutic touch combined with progressive muscle relaxation training on reducing stress response in perioperative gastric cancer patients

Abstract

Objective To explore the effect of therapeutic touch (TT) combined with progressive muscle relaxation training (PMRT) on reducing perioperative stress response in patients with gastric cancer. Methods By convenience sampling, 120 patients with gastric cancer admitted in the department of general surgery of a Class Ⅱ Grade A hospital in Jiangsu Province from May to October of 2018 were selected as research objects. According to the random number table, they were divided into the experimental group (n=60) and control group (n=60) . Conventional nursing approach was adopted in the control group while TT combined with PMRT was adopted in the experimental group. The Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) , Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) , and Nursing Satisfaction Questionnaire were used to evaluate the intervention effect. Results The NRS score of the experimental group were lower than that of the control group at 24 and 48 hours after operation with statistical differences (P<0.05) . After intervention, SAS score of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P< 0.01) . At discharge, the nursing satisfaction of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusions The application of TT combined with PMRT is helpful to reduce the stress response in perioperative patients with gastric cancer. Key words: Gastric neoplasm; Perioperative period; Therapeutic touch; Progressive muscle relaxation training; Stress response