This learning activity examines evidence-based strategies for managing preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients, a condition affecting 60-80% of same-day surgical patients that can significantly impact physiological stability, procedural efficiency, and patient outcomes. The content explores the prevalence and risk factors for surgical anxiety, describes its physiological and psychological consequences including cardiovascular changes and impaired pain control, and presents validated assessment tools such as the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS)suitable for fast-paced outpatient settings. Nurses will gain competency in rapidly identifying high-risk patients and implementing evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions including digital education platforms, music therapy, virtual reality, guided imagery, aromatherapy, and tailored preoperative counseling that reduce anxiety without delaying discharge. The activity emphasizes practical application within the compressed timeframes characteristic of ambulatory surgery while maintaining alignment with The Joint Commission standards for comprehensive perioperative psychosocial care.