%0 Journal Article
%T Preoperative information for ICU patients to reduce anxiety during and after the ICU-stay: protocol of a randomized controlled trial [NCT00151554]
%A Almuth Berg
%A Steffen Fleischer
%A Michael Koller
%A Thomas R Neubert
%J BMC Nursing
%D 2006
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1472-6955-5-4
%X The trial is designed as a prospective randomized controlled trial including an intervention and a control group. The control group receives the standard preparation currently conducted by surgeons and anesthetists. The intervention group additionally receives a standardized information program with specific procedural, sensory and coping information about the ICU.A measurable clinical relevant difference regarding anxiety will be expected after discharge from ICU. Power calculation (¦Á = 0.05; ¦Â = 0.20; ¦¤ = 8.50 score points) resulted in a required sample size of N = 120 cardiac surgical patients (n = 60 vs. n = 60). Furthermore, N = 20 abdominal or thoracic surgical patients will be recruited (n = 10 vs. n = 10) to gain insight to a possible generalization to other patient groups.Additionally the moderating effect of specific patient attributes (need for cognition, high trait anxiety) will be investigated to identify certain patient groups which benefit most.The proposed study promises to strengthen evidence on effects of a specific, concise information program that addresses the information needs of patients scheduled for ICU stay.Technological advances during the last decades in intensive care medicine made it possible to treat an increasing number of high risk surgical patients. Nevertheless, many patients awaiting elective surgery experience diffuse anxiety and a lack of subjective predictability regarding their stay on the intensive care unit. The psychological elements that become salient in the perioperative situation can be characterized as loss of control, irritation and uncertainty. These psychological elements are also known for contributing to postoperative complications such as delayed wound healing and an increased intake of sedatives and analgesics [1]. In addition, the strange and unfamiliar situation on the ICU in combination with sleep deprivation and ICU-noises is closely related with the incidence of a postoperative delirium also called ICU-Synd
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6955/5/4