Evaluating effect of Tele-nursing on the quality of life of cancer patients admitted to selected hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 2014-2015.

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with cancer experience several physical and psychological problems which decrease their quality of life, compared to the lives of other patients, significantly. Tele-nursing follow-up cares are conducted in such a way that trains nurses in order to improve nursing care and achieve increasing welfare for the patients. The main objective of the present study was to determine the impact of continuing nursing consulting through Tele-nursing on the quality of life of cancer patients. Methods: 60 patients who had recently been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and lung cancer that and hospitalized for the first time for treatment were selected through consecutive sampling as the subjects of the present empirical study. Standardized specific questionnaires were used to collect required data and measure the quality of the life of patients with cancer (QLQ-C30) before and after the intervention. The samples were randomly divided into two groups of control and intervention after running the training program and providing informational pamphlets. Subjects in the intervention completed Tele-nursing counseling questionnaire against after the intervention and results from pre- and post-training were compared in both groups.  Results: The results of the present study showed that the quality of life and its aspects of both groups experienced significant change after training program and Tele-nursing (p<0.001); the average quality of life and its aspects increased after educational programs and Tele-nursing (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study showed that Tele-nursing can be quite effective in improving the quality of life of cancer patients; thus, it seems scientifically justified that this method be implemented to enhance the quality of life of other chronic illnesses, as well.