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Journals / Akdeniz Hemşirelik Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2

Pain Control in Surgical Nursing with Mind-Body Integrity: A Guided Imagery Approach

Zihin-Beden Bütünlüğüyle Cerrahi Hemşireliğinde Ağrı Kontrolü: Rehberlikli İmgelem Yaklaşımı

Büşra Ergen Turan(ZONGULDAK BÜLENT ECEVİT ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-5223-3787
Gülay Yazıcı(ANKARA YILDIRIM BEYAZIT ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-8195-3791
Pages
111–118
Publication Date
2026-08-28
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Postoperative pain is a significant clinical issue that directly affects patients’ physiological recovery process, psychological state, comfort level, mobilization speed, and overall satisfaction with care.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Postoperative pain is a significant clinical issue that directly affects patients’ physiological recovery process, psychological state, comfort level, mobilization speed, and overall satisfaction with care.
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Key Findings & Data:Failure to provide effective pain management during the post¬operative period can lead to negative outcomes such as delayed mobilization, prolonged hospital stay, increased risk of complications, and a significant decline in quality of life.
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Conclusion & Impact:This review highlights that integrating guided imagery into the care process for surgical patients contributes to strengthening a holistic and patient-centered approach to pain management and emphasizes the importance of evidence-based nonpharmacological strategies in nursing practice.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:ağrı yönetimi · Ameliyat sonrası ağrı · imgeleme

Abstract

Postoperative pain is a significant clinical issue that directly affects patients’ physiological recovery process, psychological state, comfort level, mobilization speed, and overall satisfaction with care. Failure to provide effective pain management during the post¬operative period can lead to negative outcomes such as delayed mobilization, prolonged hospital stay, increased risk of complications, and a significant decline in quality of life. Although pharmacological methods have traditionally been the primary approach to pain control, interest in nonpharmacological methods is growing due to the side effects associated with analgesic drugs, the risk of tolerance and dependence, the cost burden, and the inability to achieve the same therapeutic effect in all patients. In this context, guided imagery stands out as a cognitive-behavioral mind-body technique that activates the relaxation response by enabling the patient to focus on scenes that create feelings of peace, confidence, and control in their mind. Current literature indicates that guided imagery has significant positive effects in reducing postoperative pain levels, decreasing analgesic requirements, alleviating anxiety and stress, and improving sleep quality. Furthermore, the fact that the intervention is low-cost, free of side effects, easy to teach, and can be independently administered by nurses increases its potential for use in surgical nursing practice. This review highlights that integrating guided imagery into the care process for surgical patients contributes to strengthening a holistic and patient-centered approach to pain management and emphasizes the importance of evidence-based nonpharmacological strategies in nursing practice.

Özet

Ameliyat sonrası ağrı, hastaların fizyolojik iyileşme sürecini, psikolojik durumunu, konfor düzeyini, mobilizasyon hızını ve genel bakım memnuniyetini doğrudan etkileyen önemli bir klinik sorundur. Ameliyat sonrası dönemde etkili ağrı yönetiminin sağlanamaması; geç mobilizasyon, uzamış hastanede kalış süresi, komplikasyon riskinde artış ve yaşam kalitesinde belirgin düşüş gibi olumsuz sonuçlara yol açabilmektedir. Geleneksel olarak ağrı kontrolünde farmakolojik yöntemler temel yaklaşım olarak benimsenmiş olsa da analjezik ilaçlara bağlı gelişen yan etkiler, tolerans ve bağımlılık riski, maliyet yükü ve tüm hastalarda aynı terapötik etkinin sağlanamaması nedeniyle nonfarmakolojik yöntemlere yönelik ilgi giderek artmaktadır. Bu bağlamda rehberlikli imgeleme, hastanın zihninde huzur, güven ve kontrol duygusu oluşturan sahnelere odaklanmasını sağlayarak gevşeme yanıtını aktive eden, bilişsel-davranışsal temelli bir zihin-beden tekniği olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Güncel literatür, rehberlikli imgelemenin ameliyat sonrası ağrı düzeylerinin azaltılmasında, analjezik gereksiniminin düşürülmesinde, kaygı ve stresin hafifletilmesinde ve uyku kalitesinin artırılmasında anlamlı olumlu etkiler sağladığını göstermektedir. Aynı zamanda müdahalenin düşük maliyetli, yan etkisiz, kolay öğretilebilir ve hemşireler tarafından bağımsız olarak uygulanabilir bir yöntem olması, cerrahi hemşireliği pratiğinde kullanım potansiyelini artırmaktadır. Bu derleme, rehberlikli imgelemenin cerrahi hastalarının bakım süreçlerine entegrasyonunun, bütüncül ve hasta merkezli bir ağrı yönetimi yaklaşımının güçlendirilmesine katkı sunacağını ortaya koymakta ve hemşirelik uygulamalarında kanıta dayalı nonfarmakolojik stratejilerin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Turan, B. E., Yazıcı, G. (2026). Pain Control in Surgical Nursing with Mind-Body Integrity: A Guided Imagery Approach. Akdeniz Hemşirelik Dergisi, Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2, 111–118. https://doi.org/10.59398/ahd.1821974

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