The role and responsibilities of nurses in mental preparation of the patient for a surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Preparing the patient for a surgery is a complex task for the entire health care team. Even the best performed surgery will not bring positive results if the patient is not well-prepared for it, both physically and mentally and receives improper care after the surgery. Nurses play the most important role at this point of treatment as they are the ones who take care of the sick directly and spend most time with them. The process of modern technology dominating contemporary field of surgery and narrowing of the specialties have not diminished, but strengthened this role. As the professional assisting and observing the patient constantly, the nurse frequently has a great influence upon the course of the whole treatment. The nurse is the person of the therapeutic team, whose attitude, behavior, the way of communicating the patient, the respect for their rights are the most important elements in preparing the patient for the surgical intervention. This mental preparation should depend on the nature of surgery and the patient’s emotional problems and expectations related to it. Being aware of them allows undertaking effective psychological therapy, minimizing negative side effects of the surgery and pointing out the benefits of it. Therapeutic effects of these interactions are visible regardless of the fact whether they are used by a nurse in a conscious and deliberate, or an intuitive and accidental way. Therefore, nurses’ actions should be aimed at benefiting consciously from well-known therapeutic procedures. Aim of the study is to discuss the tasks and the role of the nurse in mental preparation of the patient for a surgery and to provide a copyright interview questionnaire which allows the nurse to identify the patient’s problems in this matter.