15-Minute chat with nurse before surgery cuts patient fear, study finds
NCT ID NCT07309458
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a 15-20 minute personalized talk with a nurse right before surgery could lower patients' anxiety. Over 300 adults scheduled for day surgery were split into two groups: one got standard care, the other also received the nurse-led intervention, which included empathy, clear explanations, and simple breathing techniques. Anxiety was measured using a standard scale. The goal was to see if this human touch could make a real difference in how patients feel before going into the operating room.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- nursing intervention (empathic communication, tailored information, coping techniques)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could lead to a simple, low-cost way to reduce anxiety before surgery and improve patient satisfaction and recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed study, but the intervention is brief and may not work for everyone. Anxiety is subjective, and results may not apply to all surgical settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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314 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2024
- Finished
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Oct 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients over 18 years old. * Voluntary participation and informed consent to participate in the study. * Individuals scheduled for major outpatient surgical procedures in operating rooms 5 and 6 of La Malvarrosa Hospital Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with comprehension difficulties (hearing loss, language barrier, or insufficient cognitive level). * Patients with temporarily impaired cognitive ability (premedicated with benzodiazepines) * Clinical situations that prevented participation in data collection.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hospital Malvarrosa
Valencia, Valencia, 46011, Spain
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