Pre-Operative Guided Meditation to Reduce Pre-Operative Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Cancer-Directed Surgery

Enhancing Quality of Patient Experience Via an Innovative Reduction of Pre-Operative Anxiety

This clinical trial tests how well guided meditation, compared to silence, works to reduce pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing cancer-directed surgery. Pre-operative anxiety affects patient experience and has been found to be a predictor of severe post-operative pain and chronic pain after surgery, influencing the success and quality of a patient's recovery. While medication is often prescribed to improve anxiety symptoms, research has showed that mindfulness techniques can be used to decrease anxiety, improve comfort, and can impact both psychological and physiologic symptoms. Completing pre-operative guided meditation may work well to reduce pre-operative anxiety in patients undergoing cancer directive surgery.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To improve is pre-operative patient anxiety in surgical settings.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I: Patients listen to 10 minutes of guided meditation prior to surgery.

ARM II: Patients wear noise cancelling headphones for 10 minutes prior to surgery.

After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up for up to 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants will be recruited among patients who are scheduled for cancer-directed surgery
• Participants must be 18 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants will be excluded from the study if they cannot speak English (as the meditation is recorded in English)
• Currently incarcerated
• Have a diagnosis of dementia
• Are admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU)
• Have a hearing impairment that would make them unable to hear the recorded meditation