Effect of Foot Bath on Anxiety 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.

Inclusion criteria

• Those who are over 18 years old,
• Having a caregiver with him/her,
• Those who will undergo elective pituitary adenoma surgery,
• Those who were hospitalized at least one day before their surgery,
• No known psychological problems,
• Conscious, oriented and able to communicate verbally,
• No known peripheral vascular disease,
• Not having diabetes,
• No open wounds on their feet,
• Staying in a single room,
• Patients who want to take a foot bath in 40 °C water

Exclusion criteria

• Those who are under 18 years of age,
• Without a caregiver,
• Not undergoing elective pituitary adenoma surgery,
• Not hospitalized at least one day before the surgery,
• Having a known psychological problem,
• Conscious, oriented and unable to communicate verbally,
• Known peripheral vascular disease,
• Having diabetes,
• Having open wounds on their feet,
• Staying in a double room,
• Patients who do not want to take a foot bath in 40 °C water