Pagrindinis darbo tikslas buvo ištirti ir palyginti pacientų priešoperacinį stresą. Tyrime dalyvavo 139 tiriamieji iš jų: 53% moterų ir 47% vyrų. Tiriamųjų amžius: 18-74 metai, amžiaus vidurkis 43 ±11 metų. Tyrimas atliktas Vilniaus miesto ligoninėje. Tiriamąją grupę sudarė atsitiktine tvarka atrinkti chirurginiuose skyriuose gydomi pacientai. Kontrolinę grupę sudarė terapinio pobūdžio skyriuje gydomi pacientai. Tyrimas atliktas naudojant empirinį metodą – anketinę apklausą ir interviu. Klausimyno dalys: 1.Paciento demografiniai duomenys bei papildomi klausimai informacijai apie priešoperacinį stresą, gauti. 2.Hospitalinė nerimo ir depresijos skalė (HAD). 3.Nerimo lygio apklausos klausimynas. (Č.Spielberger‘io apklausa). Chirurginių skyrių pacientai patiria didesnį stresą negu terapinio pobūdžio skyriuose gydomi pacientai.Moterys patiria didesnį stresą prieš operaciją negu vyrai. Skiriasi moterų ir vyrų priešoperacinį stresą sukeliantys veiksniai, priešoperacinės paramos poreikis ir jos šaltiniai. Operacijos laiko derinimo galimybė sukelia stresą. Priešoperacinio laikotarpio trukmė įtakos stresui neturėjo. / The aim of this paper is to research and investigate a patient preoperative stress. 139 cases have been investigated, 53% of that were females and 47% were males. Patients’ age varied between 18 to 74 years, with an average mean of 43 ±11 years. The research was carried out at hospital in Vilnius. A random sample group was drawn from the patients of various surgical departments. A group of medical patients was taken as a comparative reference. The data was captured by using empirical methods, such as questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaire was designed to include the following topics: 1.Demographic information and additional questions about information on preoperative stress 2.Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) 3.Spielberg’s State – Trait Anxiety Inventory (S.T.A.I.) Conclusions: -Surgical patients suffer more extreme stress than medical patients. -Females suffer a higher-level stress than males. The source of stress and the ways of coping are also significantly different for each sex. -A chance to choose a surgical date is a source of stress. -A timing of surgery has no influence on the preoperative stress.

The purpose of this research was to critically analyze relevant literature regarding the effects of preoperative education on levels of stress in the pediatric population. The goal of this research is to review and analyze the available literature to determine best practice as it relates to educating the pediatric preoperative patient in order to relieve stress. Research was retrieved from Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE-EBSCOhost databases using keywords pediatric, preoperative, anxiety, stress, fear, children, hospitalized child, education, play therapy, and surgery. Inclusion criteria included research that focused on relieving anxiety or stress in the pediatric surgical patient. Seven research-based articles were found that met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicate surgery is stressful in pediatric patients at all developmental stages. Preoperative education was found to reduce this stress. Verbal, written, and visual means of education all led to a decrease in stress prior to surgery. More research is needed to determine the best developmentally appropriate educational program to relieve stress in the pediatric patient.