Tele-Nursing Follow-Up After Open Heart Surgery

Investigation of the Effect of Tele-Nursing on Anxiety And Complications in Patients With Open Heart Surgery

Introduction: Failure to follow-up patients by healthcare professionals after discharge may increase the development of anxiety and complications in patients.

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the effects of tele-nursing method to patients who have undergone Open Heart Surgery (OHS) after discharge on anxiety and some other complications.

Material and Methods:This quasi-experimental randomized controlled study, which was conducted in a private hospital between November 2020 and April 2021, included 75 patients, 38 from the Intervention (IG) and 37 from the Control Group (KG). IG and CG patients were provided routine treatment and care. In addition to the IG, training and counselling were provided at least four times by phone calls between the first week after discharge and the end of the first month. Descriptive Form and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and T) were administered to all patients before discharge, and STAI-S was administered at the end of the first month after discharge. Post-discharge complications were evaluated by medical doctor in both groups. These data, number of hospitalization and readmission rates were obtained from hospital records.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eighteen years and older,
• Able to speak and understand Turkish,
• Without hearing, comprehension, vision and speech problems,
• Open heart surgery for the first time,
• Those who were not diagnosed with depression or anxiety disorder before surgery and didn't use medication for this purpose,
• Having a mobile phone that can take photos by herself/himself or her/his attendants,
• No serious complications to delay hospital discharge,
• Patients who volunteered to participate were included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients who wished to withdraw from the study after volunteering were excluded from the study.