Effect of Foot Bath on Anxiety and Physiological Parameters

Overview

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of warm water foot bath applied before pituitary adenoma surgery on anxiety level and physiological parameters. The main hypotheses are: * H1 = Foot bath group patients have lower state anxiety than control group patients. * H2 = Foot bath group patients have lower anxiety than control group patients. * H3 = Foot bath group patients have lower pain levels than control group patients. * H4 = Foot bath group patients have lower mean arterial blood pressure than control group patients. * H5 = Foot bath group patients have lower heart rates than control group patients. * H6 = Foot bath group patients have lower respiratory rates than control group patients. * H7 = Foot bath group patients have higher body temperatures than * H8 = Foot bath group patients have higher oxygen saturation than control group patients. On the day of surgery, participants will be asked to keep their feet in 40 warm water for 20 minutes, 1 hour before the surgery. If there is a comparison group: Researchers will compare the control group to see if there are any differences in the patients' anxiety level and physiological parameters.

Phase One (Initial Assessment / E1) Study and Control Groups: The research nurse visited the patients in the study and control groups, who were admitted to the clinic at least one day before surgery and would be transferred to the operating room within one hour, in their single-person clinic rooms. After explaining the purpose of the study, the researcher obtained verbal and written consent from the patients who agreed to participate. Then, the patient completed the Patient Identification Form by asking them questions. Due to the double-blind nature of the study, the patients' situational and continuous anxiety levels, pain levels, and physiological parameters were assessed by another clinical nurse working in the clinic, and the results were recorded in the table on the form. The data obtained from this phase constituted the initial assessment (E1) results of the study. Then, the implementation phase of the study began. Phase Two (Implementation Phase) Study Group: In this phase, the basin of the device to be used in the warm water foot bath was filled with water to a level covering 4-5 fingers above the patients' ankles, and the temperature was allowed to stabilize at 40°C. Afterward, patients sat with their feet dangling over the edge of the bed and kept their feet in the water for 20 minutes. During the procedure, a research nurse was present in the room to monitor any sudden changes in the patients' condition (e.g., dizziness, low blood pressure). After 20 minutes, the patients removed their feet from the water and dried them with paper towels. Control group: In this phase, patients were asked to sit comfortably and rest in bed for 20 minutes. No procedure was performed on the patients. Phase Three (Final Assessment / E2) Study and control group: In this phase, due to the blinding applied in the study, the situational anxiety levels, pain levels, and physiological parameters of the patients in both groups were assessed by another clinical nurse working in the clinic, and the results were recorded in the table on the form. The data obtained from this phase constituted the final assessment (E2) results of the study. The characteristic anxiety levels were not re-evaluated as they did not show instantaneous changes.