The Effect of Video Calls With Family Members During Operating Room Waiting on Stress, Anxiety, and Surgical Fear in Patients Undergoing Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor

This study aims to investigate the effect of video calls with family members during the preoperative waiting period in the operating room on stress, anxiety, and surgical fear in patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Bladder cancer is a common urological malignancy, and psychological problems are frequently observed in the preoperative period. The absence of family support in the operating room may increase anxiety and fear, triggering physiological stress responses and raising the risk of complications.

This multicenter randomized controlled trial will be conducted between September 2025 and March 2027 at Bitlis State Hospital and Tatvan State Hospital. The study sample will include 128 eligible patients, randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Patients in the intervention group will have a video call with a designated family member in the operating room, while control group patients will receive routine care.

Data will be collected using the Descriptive Information Form, the Surgical Fear Questionnaire, and the Visual Analogue Scale; stress levels will be assessed through serum cortisol and glucose values. Measurements will be taken at three time points: preoperatively (T0), immediately before anesthesia (T1), and on the first postoperative day (T2).

The study is expected to demonstrate that maintaining family support through video calls in the preoperative period reduces anxiety, fear, and stress, thereby improving surgical outcomes and contributing to the development of family-centered care practices.