The main purpose of this study was to identify the effect of hand massage on pain and anxiety related to chest tube removal in patients with a lobectomy. The research design of this study was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. Of the twenty nine adult subjects, fourteen were assigned to the experimental group and fifteen to the control group. The data were obtained over 3 months from a medical center in Seoul. The instruments used to assess trait state anxiety was the Spielberger Trait-State anxiety Inventory. For pain and psychological anxiety. The Visual Analogue Scale was used. Hiko analogue sphygmo-manometer(2001) was used to check blood pressure and pulse rate as indicators of physiological anxiety Subjects in the experimental group received hand massage for 5 minutes just before chest tube was removed, and subjects assigned to the control group did not receive hand massage. Data were analysed with $x^2$-test and Mann-Whitney U test using the SPSSWIN 10.0 program. The results of the study are as follows : 1. Hypothesis 1: 'there will be a significant difference between two groups in the level of pain after chest tube removal' was supported (u = 23.00, p < 0.001). 2. Hypothesis 2: 'there will be a significant difference between the two groups in the level of psychological anxiety after chest tube removal' was supported (u = 3.00, p < 0.001). 3. Hypothesis 3: 'there will be a significant difference between the two groups in physiological anxiety(systolic, diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate) after chest tube removal' was supported(u =55.50, p = 0.01 ; u = 41.50, p = 0.01 ; u = 20.50, p < 0.001, relatively). The findings of this study indicate that hand massage is effective for pain and anxiety related to chest tube removal in patients with lobectomy. Therefore, hand massage is recommended as an effective nursing intervention for relieving pain and anxiety in patients undergoing chest tube removal. Further research is needed to identify the proper duration and timing to achieve the optimal effect of hand massage. A larger subject population is required to apply the current findings to the general population. Further research is also needed to assess the effects of hand massage in other patient subsets. Finally, it would be interesting to see if the effects of hand massaging would be attenuated when performed by a non-medical specialist.
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