Abstract

• Postoperative pain is one of the most frequently occurred pain in hospitals, but it has been underestimated because it is only a part of postoperative physiological process and may disappear in time. It is necessary that nurses use the relaxation technique, planning and implementing by themselves independently, to reduce this postoperative pain. This study is aimed at showing the effect of relaxation technique on reduction of postoperative pain, and exploring the factors influencing postoperative pain. Fifty-seven patients with abdominal surgery who admitted in attached D Medical Center to K University in Daegu have been studied. Of them twenty-nine were experimental group and the remaining twenty-eight were control group. This study has been conducted for collecting data through interviews and observation from August 23 to October 24, 1984. The tools of this study were two kinds; Postoperative Pain Scale is obtained from a review of references by the researcher, and relaxation technique, designed to use postoperative setting adequately, is also obtained from a review of references by the researcher. After confirming no significant differences between the two groups, the hypotheses were statistically verified by x2-test, t-test, and pearson Correlation Coefficient. The results of this study are summarized as follows; The main hypothesis that the experimental group who use relaxation technique will have less degree of postoperative pain than the control group who don't use relaxation technique is divided into three sub-hypotheses. 1. The first sub-hypothesis that the experimental group will have less score of postoperative pain than control group was accepted(t=7.810, p<0.01). Even with controlling pain threshold, showing difference in some degree between the two groups, the experimental group has less score of postoperative pain than the control group. Therefore this confirms the acceptance of the first sub-hypothesis more strongly. 2. The second sub-hypothesis that the experimental group will have less frequency of analgesics than the control group is accepted(x2=9.85, p<0.01). 3. The third sub-hypothesis that the experimental group will have less variation of pulse, respiration, and blood pressure between pre and post operative periods than the control group is rejected. So this hypothesis is reverified through comparing the variation of pulse, respiration, and blood pressure between pre and post changing-position to measure the pure effect of relaxation technique. Pulse and respiration is significantly lowered in the experimental group (t=7.209, p<0.01, t=3.473, p<0.01), but systolic and diastolic blood pressure is not different significantly between to two groups (t=1.309, p>0.05, t=1.727, p>0.05). Therefore the third sub-hypothesis is partially accepted. Conclusively, the researcher thinks that it is necessary that nurses should provide patients with relaxation technique to reduce postoperative pain, and to increase independence of nursing.

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