EFFECT OF NURSE-LED GROUP EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFEAMONG PATIENTS WITH IMPLANTED PACEMAKERS

Cardiac arrhythmia is one of the most common cardio-vascular diseases and pacemaker is a curative method which reduces most of problems in patients with arrhythmia. In spite of benefits of pacemaker, it may lead to some complications such as physical and psychological problems that can affect patients’ quality of life. Thusfollow up is necessary for pacemaker users after discharge. The aim of this study was to detect effects of nurse-led group educational sessions on the different dimensions of quality of lifeamong patients with implanted pacemakers. In this clinical trial study sixty patients with pacemaker implantation divided into two groups. Case group patients participated in the group educational sessions while participants in the control group receivedtheir routine care (educational material) for four weeks. We used Assessment of Quality of Life (AQOL) and Short Form Questionnaire (SF36) for assessing the quality of life and semi structure interview was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using Statistical Program for the Social Science (SPSS 13.0) for windows. Independent and Paired-T test also Fisher test analyses were used in this study. Alpha was set at p<0.05 for all data analyses. Prior to the intervention, mean quality of life scores was same between two groups [(57/44 ± 19/27 for intervention group and 52/23 ± 15/84 for control group), p=0/20]. After 4 weeks intervention independent-t-test showed a significant differences among the mean scores between two groups in all aspects of quality of life [76/19 ± 15/62 for intervention group and 54/11 ± 14/86 for control group, (p<0/001)]. Our results confirmed the effect of group educational session to improve the different aspects of quality of life among patients with implanted pacemakers. Consequently employing post-dischargegroup educational session can improve the quality of life among these patients as a cost effectiveness method.