<![CDATA[Background: Psychological readiness is essential for patients undergoing surgery with spinal anesthesia because they generally remain conscious during the procedure. Therapeutic communication provided by nurse anesthetists may reduce uncertainty, strengthen trust, and support patients’ cognitive and emotional preparation before surgery.Objectives: To examine the association between nurse anesthetists’ therapeutic communication and psychological readiness among preoperative patients receiving spinal anesthesia.Methods: A quantitative descriptive-correlational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted at the Central Surgical Installation of RS PKU Muhammadiyah Gombong, Indonesia. Seventy-five patients aged 18–65 years were selected using purposive sampling. Therapeutic communication was assessed using a modified 20-item Therapeutic Communication Scale, while psychological readiness was measured using a modified 20-item Preoperative Assessment of Readiness Tool. Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank correlation were used for data analysis.Results: Most participants perceived nurse anesthetists’ therapeutic communication as good (66.7%), and 84.0% demonstrated high psychological readiness. Among participants who reported good therapeutic communication, 48 patients had high psychological readiness. Spearman’s rank correlation showed a statistically significant, strong, and positive association between therapeutic communication and psychological readiness (ρ = 0.681, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Better therapeutic communication was associated with higher psychological readiness among preoperative patients receiving spinal anesthesia. Structured communication involving clear information, active listening, empathy, reassurance, and confirmation of understanding should be integrated into routine preoperative anesthesia care.]]>
