手術前焦慮常見於病人預備接受手術治療而產生的心理、認知與生理反應，手術全期病人之身心健康需完整評估、適時提供護理處置。本文應用Walker和Avent（2011）所提出概念分析的步驟，廣泛性地分析及查證「術前焦慮」概念之定義性特徵，包括因手術而引發莫名不確定、害怕不安的主觀感受，因手術伴隨不自在、不快樂的負向情緒和因手術導致個體有生理、認知、情感與行為的改變；同時確認產生術前焦慮的前因與後果，從模範案例、邊緣與相反案例中瞭解術前焦慮概念與其他相關概念之差異，並描述文獻所呈現的相關實證資料澄清本概念，有助於臨床護理人員為手術病人提供具體有效的評估及介入措施時之參考。

Preoperative anxiety, a common psychological response affecting the physical and mental health of patients of all ages during the surgical period, warrants appropriate assessment and timely treatment. This study implemented the steps of conceptual analysis proposed by Walker and Avent (2011) and extensively analyzed and validated the definition of concept characteristics: unpredictability; fearfulness due to surgery; uneasy subjective feelings; discomfort due to surgery; unpleasant negative emotions; and physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes due to surgery. Precautionary measures and consequences for determining preoperative anxiety from model, marginal, and opposite cases may be helpful. Determining differences between preoperative anxiety and other related concepts and discussing relevant empirical data provided in the literature can clarify concepts and help clinical caregivers perform specific and effective assessments in the maximum proportion of patients during surgery.