Zahra Saberi Louyeh, M. Naderifar, Hamed Faghihi, Brenda S. Lessen Knoll, N. Mahmoodi
{"title":"Comparing the Effect of Breast Milk Odor and Incubator Cover on Nutritional Adequacy of Premature Infants: A Quasi-Experimental Study","authors":"Zahra Saberi Louyeh, M. Naderifar, Hamed Faghihi, Brenda S. Lessen Knoll, N. Mahmoodi","doi":"10.5812/msnj.99993","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.99993","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Premature babies face nutritional problems caused by underdevelopment and lack of coordination between sucking, swallowing, and breathing. Appropriate early interventions are needed to promote the nutritional adequacy of these infants. Objectives: This study was designed to compare the effect of breast milk odor and incubator cover on the nutritional adequacy of premature infants. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 105 preterm infants aged 28 - 33 weeks who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Ali Ibn Abi Taleb Hospital in Zahedan in 2018. The subjects were selected via convenience sampling and randomized into three groups: breast milk odor (BMO), incubator cover (IC), and control. Infants in the IC group were placed in an incubator for two hours before feeding. In the BMO group, a gauze soaked with breast milk was placed 1.5 cm away from the infant’s nose in the incubator, and a prescribed amount of milk was given by a syringe to the infant through the mouth. The amount of milk that the baby orally received in the first 10 min (nutritional adequacy) was recorded by a camera, and the results were compared in the three groups. Results: One-way analysis of variance showed a statistically significant difference between the control group and the two groups of incubator cover and breast milk odor (P < 0.001) such that nutritional adequacy was lower in the control group than in the two other groups. Conclusions: Both the smell of breast milk and incubator cover improved the nutritional adequacy of premature infants and enabled them to orally receive more breast milk.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74149819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
H. Sarani, Zahra Pishkar Mofrad, Hamed Faghihi, Mehrangiz Ghabimi
{"title":"Comparison of the Effect of Perineal Care with Normal Saline and 2% Chlorhexidine Solution on the Rate of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection in Women Hospitalized in Intensive Care Units: A Quasi-Experimental Study","authors":"H. Sarani, Zahra Pishkar Mofrad, Hamed Faghihi, Mehrangiz Ghabimi","doi":"10.5812/msnj.106739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.106739","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Urinary tract infection is the most common site of infection associated with health care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Long-term catheterization is the most important risk factor for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). These infections are more common in women than in men. Colonized microorganisms in the perineal skin and around the urethra may move into the urinary system through the external surfaces of the urinary catheter to cause infection. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the effect of perineal care with normal saline and 2% chlorhexidine solution on the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in women hospitalized in ICUs. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was performed on 70 female patients hospitalized in the ICU of Khatam-Al-Anbia Hospital of Zahedan in 2019. The research units meeting the inclusion criteria were selected using convenience sampling and then randomly divided into two groups of normal saline (n = 35) and chlorhexidine (n = 35). The perineal area of patients in the first group was washed with normal saline and the second group with 2% chlorhexidine solutions twice a day for seven days in both groups. To diagnose UTIs, urine samples were cultured on the first and seventh days. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 via the independent t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test at a significance level of less than 0.05. Results: Finally, 60 participants completed the study. The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of age, marital status, level of education, cause of hospitalization, antibiotic use, underlying diseases, fluid intake, and urinary output. At the end of the seventh day after the intervention, the incidence of UTIs was significantly lower in the chlorhexidine group (13.3%) than in the normal saline group (76.7%) (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The results showed that washing the perineal area every 12 hours with 2% chlorhexidine solution compared to normal saline reduces the incidence of CAUTIs in women hospitalized in ICUs. Therefore, perineal care with a 2% chlorhexidine solution is recommended for perineal care of female patients with urinary catheters hospitalized in ICUs.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"86 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82880292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Soraya Nouraei Motlagh, Zahra Asadi-piri, R. Bajoulvand, Fatemeh Seyed Mohseni, K. Bakhtiar, M. Birjandi, Maryam Mansouri
{"title":"Factors Contributing to Iranian Pregnant Women’s Tendency to Choice Cesarean Section","authors":"Soraya Nouraei Motlagh, Zahra Asadi-piri, R. Bajoulvand, Fatemeh Seyed Mohseni, K. Bakhtiar, M. Birjandi, Maryam Mansouri","doi":"10.5812/MSNJ.109483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/MSNJ.109483","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Cesarean section (C-section) not only is associated with health risks for both mother and child, but also is costly. C-section rates are on the rise worldwide. In Iran, it is becoming a major challenge for current population policies. Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the main factors of the tendency to C-section in Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study 320 pregnant women admitted to health centers in Lorestan province (west of Iran) in 2019 are included. Participants were selected using the multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using a demographic form, the Fear of Pain Questionnaire, and the Knowledge and Attitude about Delivery Methods scale. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression model were employed to analyze the data using the Stata version 14. Results: 48.44% of participants preferred cesarean delivery. The mean scores of fear of pain in the C-section and vaginal delivery groups were 39.98 ± 8.21 and 36 ± 8.62, respectively, indicating a significant difference (P < 0.001). Level of education of the husband (OR = 2.79), income (OR = 5.9), fear of labor pain (OR = 1.04), history of C-section, and improved attitude toward C-section (P < 0.001) were directly associated with increased tendency to C-section (OR = 0.36); in contrast, female gender of the fetus (OR = 0.36), increased BMI (OR = 0.75), and improved attitude toward vaginal delivery were indirectly associated with women’s tendency to C-section. Conclusions: This study showed that while many pregnant women prefer vaginal delivery, the tendency to C-section in Lorestan province is high, which reveals the need to design and implement effective interventions and programs to reduce unnecessary C-section and promote vaginal delivery. Educating families, especially pregnant women, about the advantages and disadvantages of delivery modes, promoting and using new low pain techniques of vaginal delivery, and increasing women’s participation in childbirth preparation programs are effective measures that can reduce the rate of unnecessary C-section.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"96 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89983952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Abnormal and Rapid Movement of Sewing Needle From Chest Toward Heart","authors":"Changiz Azadi Ahmad Abadi, Hamed Kiani","doi":"10.5812/MSNJ.107850","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/MSNJ.107850","url":null,"abstract":": We herein introduced a 3 years old girl, who is a rare case of penetrating intracardiac damage severely induced by the abnormal movement of a sewing needle form the right lung toward the heart and entering in the right ventricle, which created Right Pneumothorax and right side bleeding. In clinical examinations, all vital symptoms were normal, and there was no sign of Cardiac tamponade, except reduced sound in the right lung base. Also, the external object was retained in the midclavicular line between the third rib, which was significant. In the Simple posterior-anterior and lateral graphics of chest radio opacity linear image on the lower part of the heart, the shadow was also significant. This is a rare case of abnormal needle movement from the right thorax to the right ventricular apex, which caused pulmonary problems. Following necessary diagnostic tests, a surgery was performed to remove the needle from the patient’s chest without open-heart surgery and CPB. Finally, 3 days after the operation, the patient was discharged from the cardiac surgery service in good general condition.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"104 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84353598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Sheykhi, Farshid Saeedinezhad, Zahra Raiesi, N. Rezaee
{"title":"Effect of Reminiscence Therapy on Death Anxiety in Retired Elderly Men: An Interventional Study","authors":"A. Sheykhi, Farshid Saeedinezhad, Zahra Raiesi, N. Rezaee","doi":"10.5812/msnj.104172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.104172","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Death anxiety is one of the concerns of the elderly population in the late stages of life. In this context, recalling memories is one of the favorite characteristics of these people that can affect different aspects of their mental and social health. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of reminiscence therapy on the death anxiety of men retried from the Islamic Republic of Iran Army living in Zahedan. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was performed on 90 retired men over 60 years of age. The subjects were recruited through convenience sampling at the Army Retirement Center in Zahedan in winter 2019. The participants were randomly divided into the intervention (n = 45) and control (n = 45) groups. In the intervention group, reminiscence therapy was carried out based on major life events twice a week for six sessions. Data were gathered again two months after the intervention. The control group did not take part in any program. Data collection tools included a demographic form and the Death Anxiety scale (Templer, 1970). The results were analyzed by SPSS-21 using descriptive and inferential statistics. The P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The mean scores of death anxiety were 25.37 ± 1.89 and 25.17 ± 1.61 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the experiment, this score was 9.09 ± 1.79 in the intervention group and 25.04 ± 1.62 in the control group. Thus, while reminiscence therapy significantly relieved death anxiety in the intervention group (P < 0.0001), the control group showed no significant difference in this respect at the end of the study (P = 0.63). Conclusions: Group reminiscence therapy can reduce the death anxiety of older adults. Since the elderly are fond of expressing their memories, and such storytelling is an attractive, simple, and inexpensive intervention, it could be used to help these people mitigate their death anxiety.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88376175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Fatigue and Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Quasi-Experimental Study","authors":"Samira Sadate Moazeni, M. Ghaljeh, A. Navidian","doi":"10.5812/MSNJ.103899","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/MSNJ.103899","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a debilitating condition. Those with COPD often complain about fatigue, which can negatively affect activities of daily living, and consequently, the quality of life (QoL). Objectives: This study aimed at determining the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on fatigue and QoL in patients with COPD. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 40 eligible patients with COPD admitted to two teaching hospitals in Zahedan in 2018 - 2019. The subjects were randomized into the experimental (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups based on convenience sampling. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, St George’s Respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ), and the Multidimensional Fatigue inventory (MFI). The QoL and fatigue in both groups were initially measured through interviews. For three consecutive days, patients in the experimental group received three 30-45-min face-to-face training sessions. The pulmonary rehabilitation program was conducted on patients’ bedsides and included theoretical and practical dimensions. Additionally, after necessary coordination with the patients and their families, a summary session was held at patients’ homes. The control group received no training, except for routine care. At the end of the eighth week, the researchers made telephone contact with the two groups (patients or their families) and visited them at their home to complete the SGRQ and MFI. Data were analyzed using SPSS and descriptive and analytical tests (independent t-test, paired t-test, and chi-squared test) at the significance level of less than 0.05. Results: The mean score of changes in QoL was 21.75 ± 7.06 in the experimental group and -1.93 ± 4.70 in the control group. The results of the paired t-test indicated that the mean score of QoL in the experimental group in the post-test was significantly different compared with the baseline (P = 0.001). Moreover, the mean score of changes in fatigue was 35.65 ± 7.12 in the experimental group and 3.25 ± 144 in the control group. In this regard, the paired t-test results showed that the mean fatigue score of patients in the experimental group in the post-test was significantly different compared with the baseline (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation program reduced fatigue and improved QoL in patients with COPD. Therefore, it is suggested to consider this program in the care plan of these people.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86609250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Roohollah Farhadloo, S. Shojaei, H. Torabian, M. Vahedian, M. Zakerimoghadam, M. Parvaresh-Masoud
{"title":"Mental Health of Community-Dwelling Older Adults and Related Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Roohollah Farhadloo, S. Shojaei, H. Torabian, M. Vahedian, M. Zakerimoghadam, M. Parvaresh-Masoud","doi":"10.5812/msnj.99059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.99059","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Improving lifestyle, increasing lifespan and life expectancy have led to the phenomenon of aging in societies. The increasing population of older adults is one of the most important economic, social, and health challenges in the current century. Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the mental health of older adults in Qom City and its relationship with socioeconomic factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study on 400 older adults over 60 years in the urban areas of Qom in 2018. A multi-stage sampling method was used for this study. The research tools were a demographic questionnaire, the Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K6), and a standard psychological well-being scale. Data were analyzed by Stata 12 software using the t-test. The significance level was considered less than 0.05. Results: Considering the mental health status, based on the K6, 55% of the elderly showed signs of low depression anxiety, 34% moderate, and 11% showed severe anxiety symptoms. Regarding the status of well-being, 49.50% were in good condition (11.3 ± 3.3), 27.75% were in moderate condition (13.8 ± 2.9), and 22.75% were in poor condition (7.3 ± 2.6). Anxiety and depression had significant relationships with gender, having an illness, marital status, having a caregiver, and income. Conclusions: The results showed that about half of the elderly in Qom had moderate anxiety and depression disorders, as well as moderate mental well-being, which indicates the moderate level of anxiety and mental disorders in the elderly in Qom.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"121 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78423461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Key Performance Indicators Related to the Quality of Life in Patients with Celiac Disease: A Descriptive-Analytical Study","authors":"Farnaz Jahhantigh, Fateme Behmaneshpour, Fatemaeh Gharebaghi","doi":"10.5812/msnj.103896","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.103896","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic, systemic immune disorder that can affect one’s quality of life. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the key performance indicators (KPIs) related to the quality of life of patients with CD admitted to the Celiac Association of Bouali Hospital in Zahedan. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 60 patients with CD who referred to the Celiac Association of Bouali Hospital in Zahedan in 2018. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire (age, gender, marital status, duration of illness, education, ethnicity, economic status, occupation, breastfeeding history, family history of CD, as well as vitamin D and iron supplementation) and the Quality of Life Questionnaire for patients with CD. Data were analyzed in SPSS 21 using descriptive statistics. All values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Sixty participants completed the study, 66.7% of whom were female, 76.7% were married, and 85.3% reported a family history of CD. The total score of patients’ quality of life was 81.66 ± 18.33, and the lowest score of quality of life was associated with patients’ concerns (51.81 ± 3.85). The findings also showed that, among various KPIs, vitamin D had a particularly significant relationship with patients’ quality of life. Conclusions: There was a significant relationship between the quality of life and vitamin D supplementation in the participants. Besides, considering the effect of physical health on improving the quality of life and the chronic nature of CD, it is necessary to enhance the quality of life of these individuals by raising their awareness about micronutrient intakes while respecting their dietary restrictions.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84350554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Mohammadpoor, Shirmohammad Davoodvand, Seyed Alimohammad Hasheminia, A. Khaledifar, M. Sedehi, Seyed Yahya Kazemi Sheykhshabani
{"title":"Comparison of the Effect of Instrumental Music and Holy Quran Recitation on the Anxiety of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Semi-Experimental Study","authors":"M. Mohammadpoor, Shirmohammad Davoodvand, Seyed Alimohammad Hasheminia, A. Khaledifar, M. Sedehi, Seyed Yahya Kazemi Sheykhshabani","doi":"10.5812/msnj.103936","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.103936","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Anxiety is one of the most common psychological problems after myocardial infarction and can lead to many problems in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Two possible ways to reduce anxiety are to listen to music and to recite the Holy Quran, the effects of which have never been compared to date. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of listening to instrumental music and listening to Quran recitation on the anxiety level of patients with acute coronary syndrome. Methods: This semi-experimental study was conducted among 96 patients with ACS referred to Hajar Hospital, Shahrekord, Iran, from 3/10/2019 to 4/30/2019. The patients were entered into the study using the convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to the three groups of Quran recitation, instrumental music, and control. In this study, the patients’ anxiety level was measured using Spielberger’s state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) before and after listening to Quran recitation and instrumental music. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using descriptive and analytical tests, including paired samples t-test, Chi-square, and one-way ANOVA. Results: Anxiety level decreased from 43.1 ± 6.15 to 38.5 ± 3.82 in Quran recitation group (P < 0.001) and from 44.2 ± 1.21 to 39.1 ± 4.17 in the instrumental music group (P = 0.035), and from 46.3 ± 3.84 to 44.7 ± 6.21 in the control group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the three groups before the program. However, the mean score of anxiety level showed a significant difference, indicating that listening to Quran recitation had a greater effect than listening to instrumental music in reducing the patients’ anxiety (P = 0.02). Conclusions: Both interventions can be useful in decreasing the anxiety level of patients with ACS; however, the Holy Quran recitation had a greater effect in this regard.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83681381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the Effectiveness of Planned Discharge Program in the Quality of Life of Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Clinical Trial Study","authors":"Somaye Chare Joo, A. Navidian, S. Sharifi","doi":"10.5812/msnj.101442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5812/msnj.101442","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Considering recent economic challenges, the short-term hospitalization of cancer patients for routine chemotherapy, and the lack of routine home visits for cancer patients in Iran, the quality of life of these patients after discharge can be a source of concern. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of a planned discharge program on the quality of life of gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in hospitals of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted in 2018 on gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in hospitals affiliated to the Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. The sample was selected by convenience sampling, and the participants were randomly assigned into two groups of intervention (n = 45) and control (n = 45). The intervention was performed in three 45 to 60-minute sessions and sending text messages, which were based on the patients’ identified problems and needs for the intervention group. Data collection tools included the QLQ-C30 questionnaire and a demographic characteristics form. Data were analyzed by SPSS V. 21 software using descriptive and analytical statistical tests. Results: The mean scores of the patients’ quality of life increased on most of the functional subscales and global health/quality of life in the intervention group. In the control group (routine care), however, no significant difference was observed in most functional subscales of quality of life. There was a significant change in the mean severity of symptoms in the intervention group so that the severity of symptoms decreased after the intervention. In the control group, there was a significant difference in the mean severity of symptoms before and after the intervention so that the severity of symptoms increased in most cases. Conclusions: Home visits of cancer patients are not in routine care after discharge in Iran, and they are not covered by insurance companies. Thus, home visits are expensive. However, in areas where the economic index is low, and patients have little access to smartphones, the planned discharge program can be a suitable method to increase the quality of life of cancer patients.","PeriodicalId":18480,"journal":{"name":"Medical-Surgical Nursing Journal","volume":"78 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84935770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}