New Nurse-Led Card Game Significantly Reduces Preoperative Anxiety in Pediatric Surgical Patients

A recent clinical trial published in the World Journal of Pediatrics reveals that a simple, nurse-led card game can effectively alleviate preoperative anxiety in children. By utilizing structured, low-cost therapeutic play—such as the "Surgical Adventure" board game—nurses helped young patients feel more comfortable before entering the operating room. This intervention provided children with a sense of control and familiarity, which are critical factors in reducing the distress typically associated with surgical procedures.

The study, involving 164 children, demonstrated that participants who engaged in these play sessions showed improved cooperation during anesthesia induction and reported fewer behavioral issues post-discharge. Unlike high-tech solutions like virtual reality, which often require expensive equipment and intensive training, this non-digital approach is highly scalable. It offers a practical, cost-effective tool that busy hospital wards can easily integrate into their daily routines to improve the overall pediatric patient experience.

While the findings are promising, researchers emphasize the need for larger, multicenter studies to confirm these benefits across diverse clinical settings. Because the current intervention did not significantly reduce caregiver anxiety, future initiatives should aim to combine child-focused play with additional support resources for parents. If successfully replicated, this method could become a standard, low-barrier practice for enhancing emotional outcomes in pediatric surgery worldwide.