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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02165280

Guided IMagery and Patient Satisfaction (GIMPS) Following Urogynecological Surgery

We hypothesize that women who use GIM pre-operatively will feel more prepared for surgery, have less anxiety on the day of surgery and have higher satisfaction scores 6 weeks after surgery compared to women who undergo our routine pre-operative care.

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Key information

Conditions

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Pathological Conditions, Anatomical Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Prolapse

Age range

21 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Loyola University Medical Center

Maywood, Illinois, 60153, United States

About this study

Guided imagery (GIM) is a program of directed thoughts and suggestions that guide your imagination to a relaxed and focused state. In clinical settings, it was originally found effective in treating patients suffering primarily from emotional or psychological issues by using descriptive language and the five senses to help the patient visualize their desired change or outcome (1, 2). More recently, GIM has been incorporated into chemotherapy and surgical settings. While it has not been conclusively found to improve outcomes, patients who received GIM reported feeling less anxious, less nausea following chemotherapy, slightly shorter surgical recovery times and a higher quality of life (3-8). While these studies suggest exciting prospects for the incorporation of GIM into the normal pre-op routine, we believe that they have left out one integral piece of the puzzle. We have previously found that patients who feel "unprepared" for surgery have less post-operative satisfaction (9). We propose that the stress and anxiety of the unknown during a patient's surgical experience can make them feel unprepared for surgery. Therefore, the same techniques that have been previously shown to decrease these symptoms in chemotherapy treatment and surgery should help patients feel more prepared, and therefore more satisfied with their surgical experience. This key finding would give sufficient support for the incorporation of GIM into the pre-op routine of any surgical patient, and may prove to be a successful vehicle for increasing the overall satisfaction of any hospital's patient population.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • routine vaginal or laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse planned ≥ 1 week from enrollment
  • a planned overnight hospital stay
  • commitment to listen to a 15 minute audio Compact Disc daily
  • proficiency in English.

Exclusion criteria

  • Not having routine vaginal or laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse planned ≥ 1 week from enrollment
  • Not a planned overnight hospital stay
  • Unable to commitment to listen to a 15 minute audio Compact Disc daily
  • Not proficiency in English.

Treatment and study plan

Guided IMagery (GIM)

Behavioral

It's a program of directed thoughts and suggestions that guide your imagination to a relaxed and focused state.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in patient satisfaction with urogynecological surgery when using GIM (questionnaire)

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    Women will report their satisfaction with their surgical experience 6 weeks after surgery using a 10-point Likert scale.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in patient sense of preparedness when using GIM (questionnaire)

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    Preparedness will be measured at baseline, day of surgery, and 6 weeks after surgery to determine how GIM affected patient preparedness. It will be measured using a 10-point Likert scale

  2. Change in patient anxiety about surgery when using GIM (questionnaire)

    Time frame: 6 week

    Patient anxiety will be measured at baseline, day of surgery and at 6 weeks post op to determine how GIM affected anxiety. It will be measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), which has been used extensively in research and clinical practice since its introduction in 1966 and is the most widely cited measure of anxiety.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Loyola University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Guided IMagery and Patient Satisfaction Following Urogynecological Surgery

Acronym: GIMPS

Important dates

Study start
2014
Primary completion
2016
Study completion
2016
First posted
Jun 17, 2014
Registry last updated
Jul 31, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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