<![CDATA[Background: Surgical procedures are medical interventions that often cause anxiety in patients. Preoperative anxiety may be triggered by a lack of knowledge regarding surgical procedures, anesthesia, the risk of complications, and the recovery process. Nurses play a strategic role as educators by providing information and health education to help patients prepare psychologically before undergoing surgery. Aims: This study aimed to determine the role of nurses as educators in reducing preoperative anxiety among patients at RSUD Jailolo. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest approach. The study population consisted of all patients undergoing surgical procedures at RSUD Jailolo during the period of September–November 2025. A total of 54 respondents were selected using a total sampling technique. The intervention consisted of preoperative education provided by nurses. Anxiety levels were measured before and after the intervention using The Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test with SPSS version 26. Results: The majority of respondents were adults aged 41–60 years (40.7%), had junior high school education (33.3%), and were female (55.6%). The results of the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test showed a statistically significant reduction in anxiety scores and total APAIS scores after the preoperative education intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The role of nurses as educators has a significant effect on reducing preoperative anxiety. Preoperative education provided by nurses enhances patients’ psychological readiness for surgery and should be integrated as an essential component of perioperative nursing care.]]>
