Effectiveness of preoperative teaching to reduce the anxiety level of patient attendants on craniotomy: A Quantitative One group pre-test post-test research study

Abstract

Background: A craniotomy may be done for a variety of reasons. It may be done as an emergency following a head injury or brain haemorrhage. All surgeries carry some risks. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of preoperative teaching in terms of knowledge and anxiety level of the patient attendants of the patients who are undergoing craniotomy. Material and Method: The study adopted a quantitative pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design, 42 patient attendants of the patients who are undergoing craniotomy in Rahman Hospitals Pvt. Ltd., Guwahati, Assam were recruited as sample of the study utilising purposive sampling technique. A Structured Knowledge Questionnaire, GAD-7 Scale were used to collect the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analysis the data. Result: The mean score of knowledge of patient attendants regarding craniotomy was increased from 13.76 to 22.21 after the implementation of preoperative teaching. The mean score of anxiety level of patient attendants regarding craniotomy was reduced from 13.74 to 9.93 after the implementation of preoperative teaching. Most of the patient attendants [47.6%] belonged to the age group of 25-30 years, [57.1%] were male, [38.1%] were secondary education, [42.9%] belonged to nuclear family, [59.5%] were married, [47.6%] were Son/daughter. Majority of the patients [42.9%] were undergoing frontotemporoparietal craniotomy, [35.7%] underwent craniotomy due to CVA, [71.4%] had moderate level of consciousness as per GCS, [28.6%] were not oriented to time, place, and person, [33.3%] had hypertension, [45.2%] had found to be ill for less than 1 month of duration. Conclusion: Based on the findings, the study concludes that the preoperative teaching was effective in enhancing knowledge on craniotomy and in reduction of the anxiety level of the patient attendants regarding the patients who are undergoing craniotomy. There was a significant inverse correlation between knowledge and anxiety level.