Effect of Nursing Intervention on Stressors and Coping Patterns of Children Undergoing CardiovascularSurgeries and their Caregivers

Abstract

Cardiac surgery plays an important role in the management of wide range of cardiovascular diseases in pediatric patients. Aim: of this study was to study the effect of nursing intervention on stressors and coping patterns of children undergoing cardiovascular surgery and their caregivers through assessment of their stressors and coping patterns, design, implemented and evaluated nursing intervention on the studied subjects’ stressors and coping patterns. Design: A quasi-experimental design was utilized. Setting: This study was conducted at the inpatient cardiovascular surgery department, cardiovascular intensive care unit, and intermediate care department and outpatient cardiac surgery clinics at Cardiac Diseases and Cardiovascular Surgeries Hospital, affiliated to Ain Shams University Hospitals. Subject: A convenience sample composed of one hundred and sixty children and their caregivers (mothers) who were undergoing open heart surgery. The sample was randomly divided into two equal groups (study and control) that entail 80 children and their accompanying their caregivers(mothers) in each group. Tools of data collection: three tools were utilized namely; an interviewing questionnaire sheet to assess characteristics and knowledge; about heart, cardiac surgery cardiac intensive care unit; stressors scale (physical, psychological, social and financial) and coping patterns scale. Based upon the actual needs assessment of the studied subjects, the nursing intervention was prepared and implemented. Results: the study results revealed that, the studied subjects’ knowledge in the study group were improved, also their level of stressors were decreased and their coping patterns were promoted positively post nursing intervention compared to the control group. Conclusion:Based on the current study it was concluded that nursing intervention for caregivers and their children undergoing cardiovascular surgery alleviated their stressors. Also, nursing intervention had a positive effect with coping pattern to the studied children and their caregivers.Recommendation:Design a nursing intervention based on actual needs assessment for children suffering heart disease and undergoing cardiac surgery and their caregivers to manage and cope with their stressors. Replication of study on larger number of children and their caregivers to generalize the study findings.