THE IMPROVEMENT OF COGNITIVE STATUS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING ECT WITH CONDUCTING SUPPORTIVE-EDUCATIVE PROGRAMS

Although Electroconvulsive Therapy is one of effective and fast therapeutic methods, but its cognitive adverse effects often cause patients to reject it, thus, it can limit its widespread use. This study assessed the effect of supportive-educative nursing interventions on cognitive status of patients treated with Electroconvulsive Therapy, at Razi Psychiatric Hospital, Urmia, Iran.
Material and This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 102 inpatients (N=102) who had been receiving electroconvulsive therapy. The patients were selected through the convenience sampling and randomly assigned to intervention (N=51) and control (N=51) groups. Interventions consisted of two parts, educational and supportive. These interventions started right after the patients and their psychiatrist’s agreement on treatment, and it continued after the 6th session. Demographic questionnaire and Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) were used to collect the data. Cognitive statuses of the patients were examined at 15, 30, 60 minutes and 24 hours after delivering the electric charge in 1st, 3rd and 6th sessions. The data were analyzed via SPSS v.16, using chi-square, t-test and repeated measures test.
Cognitive status of the patients in intervention group after 3rd (P=0.045) and 6th (P=0.01) sessions were better compared to the control group, although the results after 1st session did not significantly differ between two groups (P=0.065).
Supportive-educative nursing interventions may have some benefits on cognitive status of patients treated with electro convulsive therapy. Nurses could achieve better patient care by reducing cognitive adverse effects via conducting educational and supportive programs.