Effectiveness of a Nursing Intervention on Pre-surgical Anxiety

Preoperative anxiety is a very common experience among surgical patients. Many people scheduled for Day Surgery (Ambulatory Major Surgery, AMS) experience worry, tension, or fear while waiting to enter the operating room. This anxiety is not incidental; numerous studies have shown that it can influence pain perception, postoperative recovery, and overall satisfaction with the surgical procedure. Despite its relevance, routine clinical practice does not always include structured interventions to help patients manage these feelings in the moments immediately before surgery. Due to their close and continuous role throughout the surgical process, nursing professionals are key in providing this type of support. This clinical study is being conducted at Hospital de la Malvarrosa (Valencia) and focuses on adult patients scheduled for AMS across different surgical specialties, including Otorhinolaryngology, Maxillofacial Surgery, General Surgery, and Urological Surgery. Its aim is to provide a clear, evidence-based answer to the following question: can an individualized nursing intervention applied in the immediate preoperative period reduce anxiety levels and improve the patient's overall surgical experience? The study hypothesis proposes that a brief, personalized intervention delivered by nursing staff-based on empathic communication, tailored information, and simple coping techniques-can help patients manage preoperative anxiety and positively influence their perception of the surgical process. To test this hypothesis, the study compares two groups of patients undergoing AMS. The control group receives standard preoperative care, which includes clinical preparation and the basic information routinely provided before surgery. The intervention group, in contrast, receives an additional individualized nursing intervention lasting approximately 15-20 minutes in the preoperative area, carried out alongside routine preparation procedures such as intravenous cannulation, med