Effect of Relaxation Technique on Stress, Anxiety and Pain Perception among Postoperative Heart Surgery Children

Abstract

Open heart surgery can affect children in various ways, ranging from treatable disorder without long - term consequences to life-threatening condition. Aim: It was to evaluate the effect of relaxation technique on stress, anxiety and pain perception among post-operative heart surgery children. Study design: Quasi experimental design. Settings: This study was carried out in intermediate cardiac intensive care unit, and cardiac surgery wards which affiliated to Ain Shams University Hospitals. Subject: purposive sample Composed of 42 children undergoing cardiac surgery in the previously mentioned settings. Tools: Tools of data collection were: I Children 's Characteristics Sheet: to assess the children's characteristics ,II Perceived Stress Scale (PSS): to assess the level of stress in children pre/post relaxation technique , III Anxiety Scale: to assess the level of anxiety in children pre/post relaxation technique and IV Numeric Pain Rating Scale: to assess the level of pain perception in children pre/post relaxation technique. Results: Statistical significant difference was observed post relaxation technique intervention regarding children's stress, anxiety and pain perception undergoing open heart surgery. Conclusion: It can be concluded that, relaxation technique was effective on decrease stress, anxiety, and pain perception among postoperative heart surgery children. Recommendations: Adequate time and specialized area should be offered to the child undergoing open heart surgery to learn and practice the relaxation technique. Further studies should be done to evaluate the effect of other relaxation techniques on the management of postoperative stress ,anxiety and pain perception with open heart surgery children.