Impact of telephone counseling on the quality of life of patients discharged after coronary artery bypass grafts.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the impact of telephone counseling on quality of life in patients with coronary artery bypass graft. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 71 discharged patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery at Ekbatan Edcuational hospital in Hamadan, Iran, in 2014. The patients were randomly allocated into intervention (n=36) and control group (n=35). The intervention group received education and counseling about therapeutic plan via telephone after discharge. Patients in the control group received only routines. All patients completed the quality of life questionnaire before and after the intervention period of five weeks. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between intervention and control group about quality of life before intervention (p=0.696). However, there was significant and positive deference between the two groups in favor of the telephone counseling after the intervention (P=0.01) and control group (P=0.04). Quality of life in the intervention group was significantly better compared to control group (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Telephone counseling could be a cost-effective patient counseling plan for therapeutic adherence after coronary artery bypass surgery in order to improve the patients' quality of life. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Telephone counseling is feasible to implement and well accepted for patient counseling for many diseases.

Impact of Tele-nursing on adherence to treatment plan in discharged patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A quasi-experimental study in Iran.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coronary artery bypass graft is a major surgery and has complications that require professional and long term follow-up and nursing care that if do not properly handled, could reduce the quality of life and increase post-operative complications. On the other hand Tele-nursing is a cost-effective way to educate and follow-up of patients. This study aimed to assess the impact of Tele-nursing on adherence to treatment plan in discharged patients after coronary artery bypass graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was carried out at Ekbatan Therapeutic and Educational Center of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences at Hamadan, Iran, in 2013. In this study, 71 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and had inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two experimental group (n=36), and control group (n=35). They completed questionnaire before discharging from Therapeutic and Educational Center. In the experimental group on days 2, 4, 7, second week (day 11), third week (day 18) and fourth week (day 25) after discharge, follow-up interventions and nursing education with Tele-nursing was done, but in the in the control groups, patients received only routine interventions. After completion of the intervention period, both groups completed the questionnaire and the results were compared. RESULTS: Adherence of treatment plan in both groups did not have significant difference before intervention (P=0.696), but had a significant difference with regard to baseline after intervention in aromatherapy group (P< 0.01) and with control group after intervention (P<0.01). Adherence to treatment plan in the aromatherapy group was better in compared to control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Tele-nursing is a convenient way, cost effective training and follow-up care for patients after coronary artery bypass surgery, which can improve patients' adherence to treatment plan in developing countries such as Iran.