Date Available

4-29-2017

Year of Publication

2017

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Committee Chair

Dr. Debra Anderson

Clinical Mentor

Dr. Judy Ponder

Committee Member

Dr. Karen Stefaniak

Abstract

Reducing preoperative anxiety for adolescents facing spinal fusion surgery for the treatment of scoliosis has significant implications for clinical practice and patient outcomes for this specific population. The reality of a pending surgery creates a difficult, uncomfortable, and exhausting state of being that can lead to increased postoperative pain, sleep disturbances, and maladaptive behaviors. This final capstone project inquiry report presents three manuscripts which focus on the reduction of preoperative anxiety in adolescents facing spinal fusion surgery. The first manuscript is a literature review examining current evidence related to preoperative anxiety, adolescents undergoing spinal fusion surgery, and teaching programs aimed at decreasing preoperative anxiety. The second manuscript is an account of the development of a formalized, comprehensive, multidisciplinary preoperative teaching protocol. The goal of this protocol is to provide optimal preparation for adolescents undergoing spinal fusion surgery in order to reduce preoperative anxiety and to increase basic knowledge of scoliosis and spinal fusion surgery. This research led to the implementation of the Spinal Fusion Care Protocol (SFCP). The third manuscript is a report of the one-group pretest-posttest study conducted to evaluate the SFCP. The study seeks to determine if the SFTP significantly reduces preoperative anxiety for adolescents facing spinal fusion surgery. Practical implications for clinical practice are presented to improve preoperative teaching for adolescents in order to reduce preoperative anxiety and increase basic knowledge of scoliosis and spinal fusion surgery.

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