Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a non-invasive, low-cost complementary intervention that has been used in various clinical settings to reduce anxiety and psychological distress. Although previous studies have suggested the potential benefits of EFT in general anxiety and postoperative psychological outcomes, evidence regarding its effectiveness in patients undergoing thyroid surgery is limited. Thyroid surgery is associated with unique sources of preoperative anxiety and fear due to potential complications related to voice, swallowing, and hormonal balance.

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on preoperative anxiety and fear in patients undergoing thyroid surgery. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving EFT in addition to standard preoperative nursing care or to a control group receiving standard preoperative nursing care alone. EFT will be administered by trained nurses following a standardized protocol during the preoperative period. Anxiety and fear levels will be assessed using validated measurement tools before and after the intervention. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to evidence-based nursing practices and to support the integration of complementary interventions into perioperative nursing care.

This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest control group design. The study will be conducted in the surgical clinic of Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital among patients scheduled for thyroid surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group.

The intervention group will receive Emotional Freedom Technique in addition to routine preoperative nursing care, while the control group will receive routine preoperative nursing care only. Emotional Freedom Technique will be administered by trained nurses in a quiet and comfortable environment during the preoperative period. Preoperative anxiety and fear levels will be assessed before and after the intervention using validated measurement tools. The study aims to evaluate the effect of Emotional Freedom Technique on preoperative anxiety and fear within the scope of perioperative nursing care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients scheduled for thyroid surgery
• Aged 18 years and older
• Able to speak and understand Turkish
• Literate (able to read and write)
• No visual, hearing, or mental impairment
• Able to communicate effectively
• Preoperative anxiety and fear level of 3 or higher according to the Subjective Units of Distress (SUD) scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of a neurological disorder
• Diagnosed psychiatric disorder and current use of medication for this condition
• Previous training related to coping with anxiety or fear
• Previous participation in an energy therapy course
• Presence of infection, wound, or scar at the tapping (touch) sites

This study is conducted as a single-center thesis research. To protect participant confidentiality and in accordance with ethics committee approval, individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers.