Iranian Journal Of Medical - Surgical Nursing
Volume:10 Issue: 3, Aug 2021

Postoperative complications can endanger the patient's life and disrupt the recovery process if not properly managed. Local cold therapy can be a safe non-pharmacologic method to manage these side effects; however, it has not been highly considered.

This study was done to determine the effect of local cold therapy on arterial blood oxygen saturation and temperature changes in patients undergoing surgery.

This quasi-experimental study was performed at Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences in 2019 on 60 patients undergoing thoracic and abdominal surgery selected by convenience sampling, and they were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention (local cold therapy) was performed for 48 hours after full consciousness, three times a day for 20 minutes to the intervention group. Data were collected before and after the intervention using a demographic questionnaire, pulse oximetry device, and thermometer. The data were analyzed based on the independent samples t-test, paired-samples t-test, and chi-square and Fishers’ exact tests by SPSS version 20 software.

The mean arterial blood oxygen saturation percentage (O2Sat%) during the intervention significantly increased in both groups (P < 0.05), but the rate of increase was significantly higher in the local cold group (P < 0.05). The results of within-group research showed that the mean temperature had significant differences in the local cold therapy group (P < 0.05), but the mean body temperature did not show a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).

Local cold therapy can be effectively trained and used by nurses to improve the O2Sat%. It did not affect postoperative body temperature. Further studies must be conducted to investigate the effects of local cold therapy on postoperative body temperature changes.

Depression associated with diabetes increases the possibility of non-adherence to care and treatment programs. The use of psychological approaches can improve patients’ self-management ability.

This study aimed to examine the effect of cognitive-behavioral training combined with motivational interviewing on treatment adherence and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in patients with diabetes and depressive symptoms.

This randomized clinical trial was performed on two groups of 45 patients (n = 90) with type 2 diabetes and depression in a diabetes clinic affiliated with a teaching hospital in Iran in 2021. The participants were selected using convenience sampling and randomly divided into two intervention groups. The patients in the cognitive-behavioral intervention group with motivational interviewing attended eight face-to-face training sessions three times a week, and the patients in the cognitive-behavioral group attended only four cognitive-behavioral training sessions two times a week. Twelve weeks after the intervention, the personal information and HbA1c levels reported by the laboratory were collected using an information form. Other data were collected using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS software (version 22) using paired samples t-test, independent samples t-test, chi-square test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).

The results of ANCOVA showed that the mean score of medication adherence of the patients in the cognitive-behavioral group with motivational interviewing after receiving the intervention (5.54 ± 1.05) was significantly higher than the medication adherence score of the patients in the cognitive-behavioral training group (4.87 ± 1.01) (P = 0.002). Moreover, the mean HbA1 level of patients in the group receiving cognitive-behavioral training combined with motivational interviewing (8.42 ± 0.69) was significantly lower than the corresponding value for patients in the cognitive-behavioral training group (9.47 ± 1.28) (P = 0.001).

Cognitive-behavioral training combined with motivational interviewing had a greater effect than cognitive-behavioral training alone on increasing medication adherence and reducing HbA1c levels in patients with diabetes and depression. Thus, motivational approaches can be incorporated into routine psychological training to better manage diabetes and depression symptoms.

The nature of breast cancer (BC) and its treatment is such that it leads to physical and psychological complications.

The present study aimed to determine the effect of supportive educational intervention on the perceived stress and severity of chemotherapy-related neuropathy in BC patients.

This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 60 women suffering from BC in Zahedan, Iran, in 2020. The patients were selected using the convenience sampling method and randomly assigned into two groups of intervention and control. The patients in the intervention group received four 45-minute sessions about the common problems of BC on a weekly and individual basis. The control group received only routine ward care. Data collection tools were the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) developed by Cohen and Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) Pain Scale. Data were collected before the intervention and six weeks after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22 software.

The results of independent t-test showed that the mean and standard deviation of perceived stress score in the intervention group decreased from 56.8 ± 5.92 to 50.36 ± 3.89 (P < 0.001), and in the control group decreased from 55.6 ± 3.65 to 54.8 ± 3.53 (P = 0.258). The mean and standard deviation of neuropathy severity score in the intervention group decreased from 12.90 ± 1.66 to 8.43 ± 2.16 (P < 0.001), and in the control group increased from 12.56 ± 2.28 to 13.03 ± 1.93 (P = 0.276). The independent t-test showed that after implementing the supportive educational intervention, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of mean and standard deviation of neuropathy severity score (P < 0.001).

According to our results, supportive educational intervention reduced the perceived stress and severity of neuropathy. Thus, it is necessary to include these supportive interventions in educational and care programs to improve patients’ psychological status and reduce stress and neuropathy.

The acute nature and complications of COVID-19, including fatigue and dyspnea, reduce the ability of the affected individuals to play individual and social roles and perform activities of daily living, and have adverse effects on the life quality and economic status of patients. Conducting pre-discharge rehabilitation programs following a home-based approach can be effective in reducing fatigue and dyspnea and improving the activities of daily living of COVID-19 patients.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation on fatigue, dyspnea, and activities of daily living of COVID-19 patients in the teaching hospitals of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2020.

The quasi-experimental study enrolled 60 patients with COVID-19 respiratory symptoms admitted to the COVID-19 intensive care units of teaching hospitals affiliated with Zahedan University of Medical Sciences in 2020. The patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected using convenience sampling and randomly divided into intervention and control groups with color cards. The instruments used to collect the data were the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Borg Dyspnea Scale, and the Barthel Index completed by the participants before, two weeks, and two months after the intervention. The rehabilitation training was provided to the patient and the primary caregiver in the intervention group in three 45-min sessions individually and using training videos during the hospital stay. After discharge, the patients were followed up in person or by phone for eight weeks to ensure the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-22 software through repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent samples t-test, and chi-square test at a significance level of 0.05 (P < 0.05).

The repeated measures ANOVA showed that changes in the fatigue and dyspnea scores were significant over time (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the intervention effect was significant (P = 0.04), and more remarkable changes were observed in the intervention group than in the control group. Given the significance of the group-time interactive effect on the two given variables, the comparisons were made point by point and with Bonferroni correction again by time and group. There were significant differences in the mean fatigue scores in the second (P = 0.03) and third (P < 0.001) stages and the mean dyspnea scores (P < 0.001) between the two groups. The mean scores of activities of daily living two weeks and two months after the intervention were significantly different between the two groups, with higher scores in the intervention group than in the control group (P = 0.01). The repeated measures ANOVA confirmed a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the effect of time (P < 0.001) and group (P = 0.03) on the patients’ activities of daily living.

The study showed that home-based pulmonary rehabilitation measures were effective on fatigue, dyspnea, and activities of daily living of COVID-19 patients. Thus, this intervention approach by nurses for family participation can be practical for treating acute and chronic respiratory diseases.

Hypertension is a major global health problem and a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. An unhealthy lifestyle can increase the risk of hypertension and psychological disorders, thereby heightening the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of lifestyle education on depression, anxiety, stress, and perceived family support among hypertensive patients undergoing coronary angioplasty.

This randomized clinical trial recruited 60 hypertensive patients undergoing angioplasty at the coronary care units of an educational hospital in Isfahan, Iran, in 2015. Then, 30 subjects were randomly allocated to each intervention and control group. The patients in the intervention group and their family members were provided with group lifestyle education in six sessions held in three successive weeks, accompanied by one-month follow-up telephone contacts. Data were collected before, immediately after, and one month after the intervention using a demographic questionnaire, the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.80, 0.83, and 0.87, and a researcher-made family support questionnaire. Data analysis was done using the paired-sample t, independent-sample t, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, and repeated-measures analysis of variance tests.

The study groups did not significantly differ respecting demographic characteristics, and the pretest mean scores of depression, anxiety, stress, and perceived family support (P > 0.05). However, significant between-group differences were observed at both posttests, respecting the mean scores of depression, anxiety, stress, and perceived family support (P < 0.05). Moreover, while these mean scores did not significantly change in the control group (P > 0.05), the mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress significantly decreased, and the mean score of perceived family support significantly increased in the intervention group across the three measurements (P < 0.05).

Lifestyle education effectively reduced depression, anxiety, and stress and improved perceived family support among patients with hypertension and angioplasty. Nurses can use such interventions to improve patient outcomes.

In addition to physical issues, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience many psychological problems that make their living conditions difficult.

This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) group therapy in emotion regulation among MS patients.

This quasi-experimental study followed a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population included all patients with MS who were referred to Sistan and Baluchestan MS Community from December 2017 to February 2018. Among these people, 30 patients were selected as the sample using the convenience sampling method and were randomly assigned to a control group and an experimental group (each including 15 patients). Eight 60-minute sessions of MBSR therapy were conducted on the experimental group. A post-test was carried out after completing all these sessions, and a follow-up was performed a month later. The Self-Regulation Inventory developed by Ibanez et al. was used as the data collection tool. The analysis of covariance was used to analyze the obtained data.

The results showed that MBSR group therapy was effective in improving emotion regulation in patients with MS in the post-test and follow-up (P < 0.05).

Authorities are suggested employing MBSR group therapy to boost emotion regulation among patients with chronic diseases.