Progressive Muscle Relaxation in Managing Anxiety in Preoperative Patients

Abstract

Background & Objective: Anxiety is commonly experienced by patients scheduled for surgery and can affect their physiological responses and readiness. This study aimed to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation on anxiety levels in patients scheduled for surgery. Method: This study used a case study design involving three adult patients scheduled for non-emergency surgery at a regional hospital in Magelang. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Anxiety levels were measured before and after the intervention using a structured questionnaire instrument. The intervention consisted of progressive muscle relaxation performed for 25–30 minutes in a comfortable environment. Data were presented descriptively and analyzed by comparing pre- and post-intervention anxiety scores. Result: All respondents experienced moderate to severe anxiety before the intervention. After the intervention, anxiety levels decreased in all respondents. The mean anxiety score decreased from 19.3 to 15.6, with a difference of 3.7 points. There was also a shift in anxiety categories from severe to moderate and from moderate to mild. Conclusion: Progressive muscle relaxation is effective in reducing anxiety levels in preoperative patients and can be applied as a non-pharmacological nursing intervention to improve patient readiness for surgery.