Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 9-2026

Abstract

Background: Major abdominal surgery is frequently associated with postoperative complications, including delirium, pain, and anxiety, which may delay recovery, increase healthcare utilization, and negatively affect patients' overall well-being. Multisensory stimulation has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention that may improve postoperative outcomes by creating a calming and supportive healing environment. Purpose of the study: This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of multisensory stimulation in reducing delirium, pain, and anxiety among patients undergoing major abdominal surgery Method: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was employed at National Liver institute, Menoufia university, Egypt. A purposive sample of 150 patients (75 intervention group and control group) scheduled for major abdominal surgery was enrolled. Patients were assessed before and after receiving a multisensory stimulation intervention designed to engage multiple sensory pathways through appropriate auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, and environmental stimuli. Data were collected using a demographic and clinical data sheet, a standardized delirium assessment instrument, a validated pain rating scale, and an anxiety assessment tool. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The findings demonstrated favorable changes in postoperative outcomes following the multisensory stimulation intervention. Compared with baseline measurements, patients experienced reductions in delirium, pain, and anxiety during the post-intervention assessment. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between pretest and posttest scores, indicating that multisensory stimulation positively influenced both psychological and physical recovery after surgery. Conclusion: The findings suggest that multisensory stimulation is an effective, feasible, and safe complementary nursing intervention for improving postoperative recovery among patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Recommendation: integration into routine perioperative and postoperative care may help reduce delirium, relieve pain, lessen anxiety, and enhance patient comfort, in addition further research involving larger samples and randomized controlled trials is recommended to confirm these findings and support broader implementation in clinical practice.

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