The Emergency Unit (UGD) often caused anxiety among patients’ families due to emergency situations and lack of information. Therapeutic communication by nurses played an important role in reducing anxiety by creating safety, improved understanding, and built trust. This study aimed to determine the relationship between nurses’ therapeutic communication and family anxiety at the Emergency Unit of Puskesmas Kawedanan Magetan.
This study used a correlational analytic quantitative design with a cross-sectional approach. The population included the average number of ER patients at UPTD Puskesmas Kawedanan per month, which was 268 individuals, and 73 respondents were selected using purposive sampling. The independent variable was nurse’s therapeutic communication, and the dependent variable was family anxiety. The research instrument used was a questionnaire, and the statistical test applied was Chi-Square.
The results showed that most respondents rated the nurses’ therapeutic communication as “positive” (51 respondents or 69,9%). Most respondents did not experience anxiety (42 respondents or 57,5%). The data analysis showed a p-value = 0,000, which indicated a significant relationship between nurses’ therapeutic communication and family anxiety in the Emergency Unit of UPTD Puskesmas Kawedanan.
The better the therapeutic communication conducted by nurses, the lower the anxiety level experienced by the patient’s families. It was recommended that nurses continued to improve their therapeutic communication skills to help reduce family anxiety.