Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service I (Projects aiming to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care delivery to meet international standards)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
HA Young Investigators Session (Projects to be presented by HA staff who had joined HA for 10 years or less)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Tse WLW (1)(2), Cheng HY (1), Cheung YS (2), Lau WY (2), Chan Y (2), Lun PY (2), Wong WY (2)
Affiliation :
(1) The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
(2) Department of Surgery, North District Hospital
Introduction :
Introduction: Emergency abdominal surgery accounted for 80 percent of major and ultra-major emergency surgeries in Hong Kong. Within the limited time for preparation, patients undergoing abdominal surgery could experience various degrees of anxiety, which could potentially hinder their recovery from the surgery. Consequently, a program called "Calming Anxiety and Relaxation for Emergency Surgery" (CARES) was developed.
Objectives :
Objectives: To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of CARES on preoperative and postoperative anxiety (primary outcomes) among patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery.
Methodology :
Methodology: A quasi-experimental trial was conducted to assess the effects of CARES from a regional hospital. Participants allocated to the intervention group (IG) received CARES, including a preoperative and a postoperative psychoeducation session and five consecutive days of self-implemented body-mind exercises, in addition to usual care. The participants of the control group (CG) received the usual care provided by the study hospital. Anxiety was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) after offering emergency surgery (at baseline), during pre-medication, on postoperative day one, and postoperative day three. Feasibility and acceptability from the patients' perspective were evaluated using log sheets to track participants' interest in joining CARES and the number of days they performed body-mind exercises. Acceptability from frontline staff's perspective was assessed using an acceptability evaluation form.
Result & Outcome :
Results: This study presented the findings of 29 participants (IG = 14; CG = 15). Participants’ mean age was 57.3±14.5 years (male: 86%). The IG demonstrated a significant reduction in preoperative anxiety during pre-medication (p=0.048) and a significant decrease in postoperative anxiety on both postoperative day one (p=0.025) and day three (p=0.01), as compared to the control group. The recruitment phase achieved a 100% participation rate. The adherence rate to the prescribed body-mind exercise regimen of participants in the IG was 95%. The mean acceptance score from frontline staff is 4.4 out of 5.
Conclusion: The implementation of CARES is feasible and has been accepted by both patients and frontline staff. The preliminary findings suggested that CARES is potentially effective in managing preoperative and postoperative anxiety.
