The effect of using motivation cards on pain level and number of steps in patient mobilization after open prostate surgery

Mobilization has many benefits for patients after open prostate surgery. Patients avoid mobilization due to the thought that their surgical sites will be damaged and due to lack of sufficient motivation. Encouraging patients for mobilization and sharing the benefits of mobilization with patients during this period are among the important nursing care interventions. This randomized controlled, single blind study was conducted to evaluate the effect of using motivational cards on the patients' pain level and number of steps during mobilization after open prostate surgery.In the study conducted between 29.01.2024 and 30.05.2025 in Tekirdağ İsmail Cumalıoğlu City Hospital ENT-Urology Department on 90 patients (study group: 45, control group: 45) who underwent open prostate surgery, all patients were mobilized three times at one-hour intervals after surgery. The number of steps taken by the patients during mobilization was measured and recorded using a pedometer. Unlike the control group patients, the mobilization motivation card was introduced to the study group patients and hung at the foot of the bed. The number of steps of the study group patients was recorded on this card. The Patient Identification Form, Visual Pain Scale (VAS), Pedometer and Mobilization Motivation Card were used to collect the data.The VAS pain score averages of the patients in the study and control groups after mobilization were determined to be significantly lower than the VAS pain score averages of the patients using the mobilization motivation card at the second and third mobilization times compared to the control group using the card (p<0.05). When the step number averages of the patients in the study and control groups were compared, it was determined that the patients using the mobilization motivation card took significantly more steps than the control group at the second and third mobilization times (p<0.05).It was observed that the use of motivational cards in the mobilization of patients after open prostate surgery contributed to the reduction of pain levels of patients after surgery and the increase in the number of steps taken during mobilization. According to these results, we recommend the use of motivation cards to reduce the pain levels of patients after open prostate surgery and to increase their participation in mobilization.