Challenging the traditional view of preoperative visiting.

Anxiety is a product of helplessness. Admission to hospital precipitates this by disturbing patients' integrity with their life-context. Anxiety is relative to the patient's sense of control, yet preoperative visiting which is meant to be caring may be perceived by the surgical patient as being controlled. The visit is influenced by personalized contact, the structure of the visit and the philosophy behind the preoperative visiting programme. The building of a quality relationship lays a foundation for quality caring, and challenges the visiting nurse to be less directive and more reciprocal, responding appropriately as the patient steers the course of the visit.