effectiveness of early ambulation on postoperative anxiety and co-operation among laparotomy surgical patients

Context: ambulation improves blood flow, wound healing and reduces postoperative complications.aims: to assess the effectiveness of early ambulation on the level of anxiety, co-operation and to correlatethe anxiety level with co-operation among postoperative patients in the experimental and control group.settings and design: pre‑ and post‑test control group design was adapted for the present study. theparticipants were selected based on simple random assignment technique using the lottery method fromthe selected hospital at puducherry.materials and methods: a total of 120 participants were selected for the study, 60 patients were allottedfor the experimental group and initiated early ambulation. after 15 h of postoperative period, the patientwas ambulated for two times a day for a distance of 30–40 feet, continuously for 5 postoperative days.sixty samples were allotted for the control group who receives regular postoperative instructions. modifiedstai‑y‑1 scale is used to measure the level of anxiety and observation checklist was used to monitorthe co-operation for postoperative care before the initiation of early ambulation as pretest and after 5postoperative days as posttest.statistical analysis used: the data were analyzed using spss v. 16 (chicago, illinois, usa), statistical testsincluding frequency, percentage, and chi‑square.results: both the groups had severe anxiety levels (100%) and were noncooperative to postoperative carein the pretest. in posttest, the majority (85%) of the client shows mild anxiety, 15% shows no anxiety andmost (88%) of the clients were fully cooperative for postoperative care in the experimental group. whereasin the control group, 90% of the clients shows severe anxiety and were noncooperative.conclusions: early ambulation is very effective in reducing postoperative anxiety, thereby the patient wasvery cooperative for care. therefore, nurses can teach the importance of early ambulation to patients withlaparatomy surgeries