Quality of Life of Patients pre/post Pacemaker Implantation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor, Medical Surgical Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt.

2 Lecturer, Medical Surgical Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Egypt.

Abstract

Assessing the quality of life for patients pre/ post pacemaker implantation can help nurses better understand how disease and treatment affect patients’ lives. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life of patients pre/post permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation. Design: A descriptive comparative study was utilized for conducting the study. Setting: This study was conducted at the cardio electrophysiology unit at Alexandria Main University Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt. Subjects: purposive sample comprised sixty patients undergoing permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation. Tools: two tools were used; Tool I: Patients’ socio-demographic and clinical data structured interview schedule. Tool II: Euro Quality of life -5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) structured interview schedule. Results: There were highly statistically significant differences between the pre and post assessments of the studied patients' quality of life one and three months post permanent pacemaker implantation (P< 0.001). Also, highly statistically significant differences were found between pre /post assessment of the studied patients regarding the Euro Quality of life Visual Analogue scale one and three months post permanent pacemaker implantation (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that highly statistically significant differences were observed between the pre / post assessment of the studied patients regarding their quality of life after one and three months' post-permanent pacemaker implantation. However, the patient's QOL significantly declined after three months of implantation compared to one month. Recommendations: Nurses should attend updated conferences and in service training programs/or workshops about post permanent pacemaker implantation instructions to be learned to their patients through videos, and printed materials. Replication of the study on large probability sampling should be conducted.

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