Learning Objective #1: The learner will be able to understand the usability of the muscle relaxation therapy for spinal anesthesia patients to reduce axiety level.

Learning Objective #2: The learner will be able to see the feasibility to apply the muscle relaxation therapy at their clinical settings.

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Background: A surgery is a physically and psychologically stressful event resulting fear and anxiety. Specifically patients having spinal anesthesia surgery have to face stressful procedures during the surgery which is casing worry and anxiety. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of relaxation therapy to reduce anxiety level among spinal anesthesia surgery patients. Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-and-posttest design with nonequivalent control group. The experimental group was provided with the 15-minute muscle relaxation therapy on the day before the surgery and an hour before the spinal anesthesia. Data were collected from 44 patients (22 in experimental and 22 in control group) who were planned to have spinal anesthesia surgery from an orthopedic surgery department at a general hospital in Seoul, South Korea from January 13, 2006 to March 21, 2006. Results: The experimental group reported slight lower level of state anxiety after the surgery (23.18 vs. 33.64) than did control group but was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences in blood pressure level or pulse rate between experimental group and control group after the surgery. Conclusion: The muscle relaxation therapy may be a convenient and useful nursing intervention to reduce anxiety level specifically among spinal anesthesia surgery patients. The further research should be conducted to polish the muscle relaxation therapy for various types of patients, to develop more accurate instruments for anxiety level and to create more comfortable environment setting for application of the therapy.