The impact of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in phase II cardiac rehabilitation program on the health-related quality of life of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass surgery is the leading cause of change in the quality of life and pulmonary function of patients. One strategy to enhance lung muscle strength and improve overall quality of life is pulmonary rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate the impact of incorporating a pulmonary rehabilitation program into phase II cardiac rehabilitation program on the quality of life of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial study included 53 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad between September 2019 and March 2020. The research participants were selected based on specific inclusion criteria and divided into two groups. The control group followed the routine rehabilitation program, whereas the intervention group underwent a pulmonary rehabilitation program for 20-30 min after each session of the cardiac rehabilitation program. Data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire and the Ferrans and Powers' quality of life index. The data were analyzed using the independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test, paired t-test, Spearman correlation, Wilcoxon test, and SPSS25. RESULTS: The mean quality of life score in the intervention group(20.7±1.8) was significantly higher than that of the control group (18.8±2.3)(P < 0.05). Furthermore, the intervention group exhibited significantly higher mean scores in the physical, psychological-spiritual, and family dimensions than the control group(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study results demonstrate the positive impact of incorporating a pulmonary rehabilitation program into cardiac rehabilitation on the health-related quality of life of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20190707044132N1.

Determining the frequency of burn wound dressing for clinically competent nursing students: establishing standards based on learning curves.

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of clinical practice in nursing education is to achieve mastery of clinical skills through repetitive practice. Therefore, there exists a correlation between the frequency of skill demonstration and clinical competency. This study aimed to address the following question: How many times should a nursing student perform burn wound dressing to attain clinical competency? METHODS: This time series study was conducted on 41 junior nursing students who were selected through a census sampling method at Neyshabur School of Nursing from spring 2015 to summer 2021. The data collection tool was a researcher-made competency evaluation checklist (CEV). The competency score of each student for each skill demonstraion episode was evaluated using the Competency Evaluation Checklist (CEV) and recorded on the learning curve until a plateau was reached. SPSS16 and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used. RESULTS: The mean competency score of burn wound dressing was 67.5 ± 11.0 (out of 100) during the first attempt, which increased to 95.9 ± 4.3 by the ninth attempt. The learning curve for the burn wound dressing skill reached a plateau after five attempts. Additionally, by the fifth attempt of dressing the burn wound, all students could accurately identify the depth, extent, and severity of the wound. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a standardized frequency for clinical skill performance and ensuring ample practice opportunities can have significant benefits in nursing education systems. These benefits include long-lasting learning, reduced costs, and improved effectiveness. As a result, nurse managers and lecturers should consider the resources available in their educational systems and strive to provide students with adequate opportunities and a supportive environment to practice their skills.

Effectiveness of discharge-planning on physical quality of life of patients with ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: One of the goals of health care team is to improve the quality of life of patients during and after hospitalization period. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effect of performing discharge planning on ischemic heart disease patient's physical quality of life. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 74 ischemic heart disease patients which randomly allocated to discharge-planning group (n = 37) and usual care group (n = 37). The discharge-planning included the patients' educational needs, self-care instructions for patients, and caregivers. This program was performed through supporting patients during hospitalization and after discharge. The physical aspect of quality of life was assessed by standard questionnaire Short Form 36 and the data were analyzed through Mann-Whitney, independent t-test, variance analysis, Friedman and Wilcoxon. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between intervention and control groups in physical aspects of the quality of life before intervention (P = 0.423) while two groups were significantly different after intervention (P = 0.000) and quality of life of patients in the case group improved significantly. CONCLUSION: Applying the discharge-planning program as an effective, efficient, cost-effective, and noninvasive intervention on physical aspects of the quality of ischemic heart disease patients' lives is useful and helpful. Hence, it is recommended to use this program to promote and improve the quality of ischemic heart disease patients' lives.