Nurse-led Telephone Follow-up Research Articles

First pill hardest to swallow: An evaluation study of cardiovascular nurse-led follow-up phone calls

IntroductionScreening for cardiovascular disease (CVD) followed by preventive medication is expected to reduce CVD (2,3,5). However, insufficient medication adherence may affect screening effectiveness (11-12). It remains uncertain which interventions are suitable to support citizens in their decision-making about taking CVD preventive medication. ObjectiveWe evaluated if and how three nurse-led telephone follow-up (TFU) calls supported citizens in making informed decisions regarding CVD preventive medication and thereby potentially strengthened their medication adherence. MethodsEmploying a theory-based evaluation design inspired by Dahler-Larsen (39-41), we developed and tested a programme theory describing if and how the TFU calls supported medical decision-making and potentially improved medication adherence. Data were collected via telephone. FindingsWe analysed 61 TFU calls collected between May 2017 and April 2019 and found that TFU calls supported participants’ reflections on preventive medication. TFU calls supported informed decision-making regarding initiating medication, allowing participants to consider personal preferences and values, including both opting for and abstaining from medication. The content of the TFU calls revolved around four crucial themes: I) understanding the purpose of taking the medicine; II) meaningfulness and joint reflection support the decision; III) relation to healthcare professionals; and IV) taking medication for the first time. ConclusionTFU calls effectively supported citizens' understanding and addressed their needs. Trusted healthcare professionals' recommendations were preferred for decisional support. Initiating CVD preventive medication was particularly challenging for citizens who had not previously taken such medication. We recommend scheduling TFU calls early: the first after one week, the second after one month and the third after six months.

Nurse-Led Telephone Follow-Up Intervention for Titrating and Tapering Opioids in Chronic Pain Patients – A Feasibility Study

Opioids in chronic non-cancer pain are debated, but remain a part of the pain treatment for selected patients. Research is scarce on the relieving and adverse effects of opioids, and how to deliver opioid treatment in this patient group. This study's purpose was to assess the feasibility of a nurse-led telephone follow-up intervention for titrating or tapering opioids, including a pilot study of the intervention outcomes. The feasibility assessment and process evaluation were performed according to the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for evaluating complex interventions. A pilot study of the intervention outcomes was also performed. With a retrospective, descriptive, and longitudinal approach, we analyzed reports from 32 patients who titrated or tapered opioids. Information on demography, sleep satisfaction, health status, pain intensity/bothersomeness, opioid doses, and side effects was derived from the Oslo Pain Registry. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and chi-square tests were used to analyze registry data. The study findings indicate that the intervention is feasible. Areas of impact were lack of a sound theory basis, unclear allocation criteria, and inconsistent and non-validated measurement tools. Mechanisms of change were interprofessional collaboration, nurses' knowledge and competencies, predictability, and availability. Statistical analyses showed no between-groups differences in demographical-, clinical-, and pain characteristics, except those who titrated opioids were significantly older than patients tapering opioids (P=0.010). All patients reported poor health and side effects at baseline. Those who tapered opioids had a significant reduction in opioid use (P=0.004). Titrating opioids was associated with a significant increase in side effects (P=0.038). Considering the limitations and the strengths of the intervention, the present study indicates that the nurse-led telephone follow-up program is a feasible intervention. With the right adjustments and improvements, the intervention is eligible for a larger efficacy study.

1308 VIRTUAL FRAILTY WARD - POST DISCHARGE FRAILTY SUPPORT

Abstract Background In response to the COVID pandemic when new robust discharge criteria were introduced to facilitate early discharge to optimise hospital capacity, Virtual Frailty Ward (VFW) was established. VFW provides nurse-led telephone follow-up for patients discharged primarily from the Emergency Department (ED) and the Acute Frailty unit (AFU). Objectives We aim to provide continuity of care by following up frail elderly patients at home, reviewing their medical, functional and social progress post discharge and ensuring they received adequate support to avoid hospital re-admission. Methods The service is overseen by the Lead Frailty Practitioner, supported by Consultant Geriatricians. Calls are made Monday to Friday by a team of Advanced Specialist Nurses. The case load is split up into 3 categories with different levels of priorities – 1: at least weekly calls; 2: Fortnightly calls; 3: Monthly calls. This service engages closely with community partners such as community frailty service, social care, district nurses and general practitioners. Results In year 1 (1/4/2020-31/3/2021), we had 598 patients on this VFW. 93 patients were referred to therapy team for urgent equipment to maintain safety, 73 patients were referred to community frailty and 112 patients had urgent discussions with GP to avoid hospital admissions. The 30 days readmissions rate was 14%. 547 patients were discharged. In year 2 (1/4/2021 – 31/3/2022), we had 297 patients. 49 patients were referred to therapy team, 32 patients were referred to community frailty team, and 41 patients required input from GP. The 30-day readmission rate was 11%. 224 patients were discharged. Conclusion VFW is a cost- effective service that has helped to reduce length of stay of frail elderly patients in an acute hospital setting, maintaining patient safety and prevent hospital re-admission, co-ordinated with community services. Our service has been highlighted in the recent GIRFT report on improving clinical practice.

Nurse-led telephone follow-up according to the revised nursing outcomes classification for laryngeal carcinoma surgery patients: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThis study used the revised nursing outcomes classification (NOC) outlined in our previous study, “Core nursing outcomes for otorhinolaryngology head-neck,” for telephone follow-up of patients who had laryngeal carcinoma surgery in China. This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare nurse-led telephone follow-up according to the revised NOC with traditional telephone follow-up.MethodsA total of 100 postoperative patients were recruited from March 2018‒March 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to nurse-led telephone follow-up groups as either revised NOC follow-up (n = 51) or traditional follow-up (n = 49). The investigated outcomes included nursing outcomes, quality of life, and self-care abilities.ResultsThe baseline characteristics of patients were well balanced. We noted that improvements in nursing outcomes in the intervention group were significantly better than for those in the control group (P = 0.018), primarily regarding psychosocial health (P < 0.001) and health knowledge and behavior (P < 0.001). Moreover, patient outcomes in the intervention group were associated with greater improvements in quality of life than those in the control group (P < 0.001), especially for social conditions (P < 0.001), emotional health (P < 0.001), functional status (P < 0.001), and additional attention (P = 0.001). Finally, compared with the control group, significant improvements were observed in self-care abilities in the intervention group (P = 0.002), mainly regarding general self-care abilities (P = 0.016) and development self-care abilities (P < 0.001).ConclusionThis study found that nurse-led telephone follow-up according to the revised NOC improved nursing outcomes, quality of life, and self-care abilities.Trial registration:ChiCTR2100045941.

Effect of nurse-led telephone follow-up on postoperative symptoms and analgesics consumption after benign hysterectomy: a randomized, single-blinded, four-arm, controlled multicenter trial

PurposeThe study aimed to determine if planned telephone follow-up, especially when adding structured, oriented coaching, reduces the intensity of postoperative symptoms and decreases analgesics consumption after benign hysterectomy.MethodsA randomized, single-blinded, four-armed, controlled multicenter trial of 525 women scheduled for hysterectomy was conducted in 5 hospitals in the southeast health region of Sweden. The women were allocated 1:1:1:1 into four follow-up models: (A) no telephone follow-up (control group); (B) one planned, structured, telephone follow-up the day after discharge; (C) as B but with additional telephone follow-up once weekly for 6 weeks; and (D) as C but with oriented coaching telephone follow-up on all occasions. Postoperative symptoms were assessed using the Swedish Postoperative Symptoms Questionnaire. Analgesic consumption was registered. Unplanned telephone contacts and visits were registered during the 6 weeks of follow-up.ResultsIn total, 487 women completed the study. Neither pain intensity, nor symptom sum score or analgesic consumption differed between the intervention groups. Altogether, 224 (46.0%) women had unplanned telephone contacts and 203 (41.7%) had unplanned visits. Independent of intervention, the women with unplanned telephone contacts had higher pain intensity and symptom sum scores, particularly if an unplanned telephone contact was followed by a visit, or an unplanned visit was preceded by an unplanned telephone contact.ConclusionTelephone follow-up did not seem to affect recovery regarding symptoms or analgesic consumption after benign hysterectomy in an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) setting. Unplanned telephone contacts and visits were associated with more postoperative symptoms, especially pain.Trial registration The study is registered in ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01526668 retrospectively from January 27; 2012. Date of enrolment of first patient: October 11; 2011.

Nurse-led telephone follow-up for early palliative care patients with advanced cancer.

To present our experience of a nursing telephone consultation service, describing patient and caregiver requests, and outlining ensuing nursing or medical interventions. Recently, there has been an increase in the use of telephone consultation for cancer patients. However, there is still limited data on the characteristics of this type of service and on the nature of the interventions carried out. In this observational retrospective study, we evaluated the phone calls made over a 6-month period by patients or caregivers to the early palliative care team of a cancer institute. Information regarding telephone calls (frequency, reason and management) was systematically collected by a nursing case manager. The study complies with the STROBE checklist File S1. 171 patients used the service, for a total of 323 phone calls. The majority (80.8%) were from patients followed at the outpatient clinic and the most common requests were for pain management (38.4%) and for updates on the clinical situation (23.8%). Other frequent requests were for medication management (18.9%) and scheduling (18.3%). 210 of the 323 phone calls were handled by the nurse, while 22 were managed in collaboration with a physician. An 87.6% effectiveness in telephone management was observed. The overall use of the phone service was higher for early palliative care patients. The majority of phone calls were effectively handled by the nursing case manager. An effective and feasible nurse-led telephone follow-up of early palliative care patients with advanced cancer could improve their care experience. Specifically, it could impact on patients and families improving quality of life and symptom control securing access to timely care without travel or additional cost.It can also improve continuity of care, adherence to oncological treatments and minimise acute care visits.

The impact of education through nurse-led telephone follow-up (telenursing) on the quality of\xa0life of COVID-19 patients

sBackgroundThe widespread prevalence of COVID-19 has disrupted the social life, physical function, and daily activities of patients, leading to reduced quality of their lives. Because of the nature of this disease and its comprehensive impact on patients’ lives, a follow-up based on the conditions of these patients is necessary. This study was conducted to determine the impact of nurse education and telephone follow-up (telenursing) on the quality of life of COVID-19 patients.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study included 120 COVID-19 patients discharged from 22nd-Bahman Hospital in Khaf city and was conducted over 6 months from July 20, 2020, to December 20, 2020. The participants were selected by convenience sampling method and were assigned into two matching groups. The training was delivered through telenursing based on the quality of life criteria for 1 month in the intervention group. The controls did not receive any intervention. Both groups completed the 36-item SF health survey before and 1 month after the intervention.ResultsThe two groups were not significantly different regarding the quality of life mean scores at baseline (p = 0.61). However, after the intervention, the mean and standard deviation of the total life quality score was significantly different between the control and intervention groups (63.62 ± 3.93 versus 72.62 ± 3.51, p <0.001).ConclusionsTelenursing improves the life quality of COVID-19 patients. Through appropriate policies, health managers may put on the agenda the implementation of telenursing for COVID-19 patients.

Do the patient education program and nurse-led telephone follow-up improve treatment adherence in hemodialysis patients? A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundEnd-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is the final and permanent stage of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Hemodialysis (HD) is the most common treatment for CKD. To have desirable therapeutic outcomes, patients have to adhere to a specific therapeutic regimen that reduces the hospitalization rate and side-effects of HD. The present study aimed to determine the effects of the patient education program and nurse-led telephone follow-up on adherence to the treatment in hemodialysis patients.MethodsThis is a randomized controlled trial in which a total of 66 patients were recruited using convenience sampling and then randomly assigned to two groups of control (n = 33) and intervention (n = 33). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the laboratory results record sheet, and the End-Stage Renal Disease Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD-AQ), which included four dimensions of HD attendance, medication use, fluid restrictions, and diet recommendations. The intervention group received a patient education program and nurse-led follow-up services through telephone communication and the Short Message Service (SMS) for 3 months. All participants filled in the questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y., USA).ResultsThe results showed a significant difference in the mean scores of HD attendance, medication use, fluid restrictions, and diet recommendations between the two groups immediately, 1 month, and 3 months after the intervention (p < .001). The results also indicated a significant difference in the mean scores of four dimensions during the four-time points of measurement in the intervention group (P < 0.0005). Therefore, the level of treatment adherence in the intervention group was higher than in the control group. Moreover, there was a significant difference in the mean score of laboratory values between the two groups after the intervention, except for the level of serum sodium (P = 0.130).ConclusionImplementation of the patient education program and nurse-led follow-up can lead to better adherence to hemodialysis in four dimensions of HD attendance, medication use, fluid restrictions, and dietary recommendations in HD patients.Trial registrationIRCT registration number: IRCT20190127042512N1; Registration date: 2020-09-12; Registration timing: retrospectively registered: Last update: 2020-09-12.

Effectiveness of a nurse-led telephone follow-up in the therapeutic management of patients receiving oral antineoplastic agents: a randomized, multicenter controlled trial (ETICCO study).

The use of oral cancer drugs (OAD) has increased over the last two decades. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of a nurse-led telephone follow-up in the therapeutic management of patients treated with an OAD regarding toxicity, medication adherence and quality of life. A randomized, multicenter, controlled trial was conducted. All consecutive over 18-year-old patients, treated in medical oncology, radiotherapy, or hematology departments, receiving OAD for any cancer were invited to participate to the study. A total of 183 patients treated for solid or hematological cancers with an OAD were randomly assigned to receive a nurse-led telephone follow-up or standard care for 24 weeks. Data were collected between 2015 and 2018. Nurse telephone follow-up did not improve the global score toxicity in the intervention group. However, telephone calls directed by trained nurses induced a significant decrease in number of patients with grade 3 adverse events throughout the follow-up [OR 0.45 (IC à 95%) (0.23, 0.9)](P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in quality of life and medication adherence between groups at any follow-up time point. In this first French real-life study, the advice provided by qualified nurses via phone calls improved the management of grade 3 toxicities but failed to demonstrate an improvement of all grades of toxicities. More prospective studies are needed to confirm the impact of telephone calls on the toxicities related to OAD. Clinical trial registration is NCT02459483. Protection committee SUD-ESTI registration is 2015-A00527-42 on 13 April 2015. National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products registration is 150619-B on the 27 may 2015.

Endometrial cancer patients' preferences for follow-up after treatment: A cross-sectional survey.

Alternatives to hospital follow-up (HFU) following treatment for cancer have been advocated. Telephone follow-up (TFU) and patient-initiated follow-up are being implemented but it is unclear if these approaches will meet the preferences and needs of patients. This study aimed to explore the preferences of endometrial cancer patients and their levels of satisfaction with HFU and nurse-led TFU. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised and a questionnaire was administered to 236 patients who had participated in a randomised controlled trial comparing HFU with TFU for women diagnosed with Stage I endometrial cancer (ENDCAT trial). 211 (89.4%) patients returned the questionnaire; 105 in the TFU group and 106 in the HFU group. The TFU group were more likely to indicate that appointments were on time (p<0.001) and were more likely to report that their appointments were thorough (p=0.011). Participants tended to prefer what was familiar to them. Those in the HFU group tended to prefer hospital-based appointments while the TFU group tended to prefer appointments with a clinical nurse specialist, regardless of locality. To provide patient centred follow-up services we need to ensure that patient preferences are taken into account and understand that patients may come to prefer what they have experienced. Patient initiated approaches may become standard and preferred practice but TFU remains a high-quality alternative to HFU and may provide an effective transition between HFU and patient-initiated approaches.

P660 Evaluating the effectiveness of disease assessment at 2 weeks following a course of oral steroids: Does early intervention affect outcomes?

Abstract Background Early intervention in those patients not responding to a course of oral steroids following an Acute flare of their IBD is essential for improved outcomes. It enables re-assessment and escalation of treatment in those that are non-responders. We present our data on the effectiveness of an IBD nurse-led telephone follow-up appointment two weeks after commencing a course of oral steroids and its impact on outcomes. Methods Data collected prospectively on all patients treated with oral prednisolone between March and November 2019. Partial Mayo score for ulcerative colitis (UC) and clinical assessment of symptoms for Crohn’s disease (CD) patients were used to assess response to treatment at 2 weeks. Results 57 patients were treated with a Prednisolone reducing regime during the 8 months period. Patient demographics included 27 males and 30 females,19 CD and 38 UC patients with a median age of 48 (range 16–88). Following 2 weeks of treatment, 54% (31) of patients reported an improvement in symptoms-19 UC patients (Partial Mayo 0–4) and 12 CD patients. However, 45% (26) patients did not have a clinical improvement at week 2, 19 UC (Partial Mayo 2–9) and 7 CD were still symptomatic. In those patients who had not responded 3 were commenced on Azathioprine, 6 on Methotrexate and one patient had a slow response to steroids. Seven patients were escalated to receive biological therapy (3 vedolizumab, 2 infliximab, 1 ustekinumab and 1 adalimumab). Two other patients had their dose of vedolizumab increased, one patient was switched to another class of biologics. Three patients had a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy and following that 2 were admitted to receive IV steroids and escalated to biological therapy and Methotrexate. One patient was directly admitted for biological therapy, and 2 patients had an alternative diagnosis of Bile Salt Malabsorption which was treated. At the 3 months follow-up period all patients were well and had avoided further admissions or surgery, with only one patient electively opting for surgery. Conclusion Our data show that following a course of oral steroids for a flare of IBD, 45% are still symptomatic after 2 weeks. In this cohort, optimisation of treatment occurred in 23 patients (88%) with either the introduction of biological agents, or early introduction of immunomodulatory therapy. We believe that These data supports the implementation of an early review with appropriate intervention, demonstrating improved patient outcomes.

Is nurse-led telephone follow-up for post-operative obstructive sleep apnoea patients effective? A prospective observational study at a paediatric tertiary centre

ObjectivesTo assess the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of a nurse-led telephone follow-up service in children following surgery for sleep disordered breathing (SDB)/obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in a tertiary paediatric hospital. DesignProspective observational uncontrolled study. ParticipantsChildren under the age of 16 undergoing adenoid and/or tonsil surgery between June 2015 and June 2018 for SDB or OSA. Parents were contacted by telephone six weeks post-operatively by an ENT nurse specialist. The T-14 questionnaire was utilised to assess post-operative outcomes. Parents were subsequently asked to evaluate their experience of this nurse-led telephone consultation service between June 2016 and April 2017. Results535 patients were included with an average post-operative T-14 score of 2.13 (95% CI 1.7–2.5). 430 patients were discharged following the nurse-led telephone consultation with a mean post-operative T-14 score 1.0 (95% CI 0.8–1.2). 105 patients were subsequently reviewed in clinic with an average T-14 score of 6.88 (95% CI 5.25–8.51). 36 (6.7%) patients had ongoing symptoms of SDB or OSA. 55 parents were invited to provide an evaluation of the nurse-led telephone FU clinic, which showed a 100% satisfaction rate with the service. ConclusionA nurse-led telephone follow-up service is efficient and safe with high levels of parental satisfaction. It reduces unnecessary follow-up of uncomplicated patients whilst providing a robust safety net for those with ongoing problems.

A service evaluation of specialist nurse telephone follow-up of bowel cancer patients after surgery.

the NHS Long Term Plan has called for a reduction in the number of outpatient appointments to reduce pressure on hospital services and increase ease of access for patients. This article presents a service evaluation of an innovative, nurse-led telephone follow-up service for a group of elective bowel cancer patients following surgery. the records of patients who underwent surgery over a 2-year period were accessed to determine the number of telephone follow-ups and other investigations. This was used to model the potential cost saving for commissioners against traditional clinic follow-up. Patient satisfaction was assessed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire on Outpatient Satisfaction in 30 patients. feedback on the service was overwhelmingly positive, with patients praising the care received from the specialist nurses, but also commenting on increased continuity of care, ease of access and convenience. The service also potentially creates significant savings for commissioners as the agreed tariff for nurse telephone follow-up is significantly less than the outpatient tariff. this innovative follow-up system is well liked by patients and should provide savings for commissioners. The hospital also benefits from an increase in capacity to see new or more unwell patients, and a reduction in carbon emissions. Such a service, however, is dependent on people, and although it has functioned effectively in this department for approximately 20 years, it would only be generalisable to other units if staff had appropriate expertise.

A service evaluation of specialist nurse telephone follow-up of bowel cancer patients after surgery.

the NHS Long Term Plan has called for a reduction in the number of outpatient appointments to reduce pressure on hospital services and increase ease of access for patients. This article presents a service evaluation of an innovative, nurse-led telephone follow-up service for a group of elective bowel cancer patients following surgery. the records of patients who underwent surgery over a 2-year period were accessed to determine the number of telephone follow-ups and other investigations. This was used to model the potential cost saving for commissioners against traditional clinic follow-up. Patient satisfaction was assessed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire on Outpatient Satisfaction in 30 patients. feedback on the service was overwhelmingly positive, with patients praising the care received from the specialist nurses, but also commenting on increased continuity of care, ease of access and convenience. The service also potentially creates significant savings for commissioners as the agreed tariff for nurse telephone follow-up is significantly less than the outpatient tariff. this innovative follow-up system is well liked by patients and should provide savings for commissioners. The hospital also benefits from an increase in capacity to see new or more unwell patients, and a reduction in carbon emissions. Such a service, however, is dependent on people, and although it has functioned effectively in this department for approximately 20 years, it would only be generalisable to other units if staff had appropriate expertise.

How Do We Follow Up Patients With Endometrial Cancer?

In this review, we present the existing evidence regarding follow-up care after endometrial cancer, including content of follow-up and type of provider. We furthermore discuss the future perspectives for follow-up care and research in the field. Recently published randomized controlled trials show that nurse-led telephone follow-up and patient-initiated follow-up are feasible alternatives to routine hospital-based follow-up. No randomized or prospective study has evaluated the effect of routine follow-up on survival. Hence, current knowledge is derived from retrospective studies with the inherent risk of bias. The most important method for recurrence detection is a review of symptoms. There is no evidence to support a survival benefit from the use of routine physical examinations, additional tests, or imaging. One in three of the women attending hospital-based follow-up experience unmet needs, and alternative models for follow-up focused on survivorship care and empowerment should be tested.

Nurse-led Motivational Telephone Follow-up After Same-day Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Reduces Readmission and Contacts to General Practice.

Same-day discharge of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may challenge preparation of patients for discharge. The objective of this study was to investigate whether nurse-led telephone follow-up influenced patients' self-management post-PCI. We performed a randomized study with an allocation rate of 1:1. A standardized nurse-led motivational telephone consultation was conducted between 2 and 5 days after PCI to support adherence to medical therapy, follow-up activities, emotional well-being, and healthy lifestyle. The control group received usual care and discharge procedures. Primary outcome was adherence to use of P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) therapy at 30 days of follow-up. We consecutively included 294 elective patients (83%) undergoing PCI and with planned same-day discharge. Adherence to P2Y12 inhibitors was not influenced by the intervention (intervention vs control, 95% vs 93%, respectively; P = .627). However, the proportion of patients readmitted (8% vs 16%, P = .048), as well as self-initiated contacts to general practitioners (29% vs 42%, P = .020), was lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. Patients in the intervention group were more likely to know how to manage symptoms of angina pectoris (90% vs 80%, P = .015), and a higher proportion of patients in the intervention group commenced healthy physical activities (53% vs 41%, P = .043). Nurse-led motivational telephone follow-up did not influence adherence to antiplatelet medical therapy after PCI. However, the intervention positively influenced self-management of angina pectoris and reduced hospital readmissions and self-initiated contacts to general practitioners and hospitals.

Nurse-Led Telephone Follow-Up to Improve Parent Promotion of Healthy Behaviors in Young Children With Motivational Interviewing Techniques

IntroductionThe American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends primary care–based health promotion for obesity prevention at all visits, focusing on nutrition and activity. MethodsIn this quality improvement project, a primary care innovation was developed to support parents in promoting healthy habits in their children ages 2 to 5 years old. Nurse-led telephone support using motivational interviewing was implemented during two follow-up phone calls aimed at helping parent–child dyads reach self-created activity or nutrition goals. ResultsParent-rated confidence and motivation related to meeting these goals showed significant increases. During the second call, 80% self-reported goal completion and high satisfaction with the visits. Registered nurses reported a significant increase in their self-efficacy of communication with parents. DiscussionThis project showed the feasibility of using nurse telephone visits in an urban low-income primary care setting to improve parental recognition and understanding of healthy habits that align with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for obesity prevention.

An evaluation of nurse-led post-operative telephone follow-up in a regional centre.

An evaluation of nurse-led post-operative telephone follow-up in a regional centre.

Patient’s level of satisfaction with nurse-led telephone follow-up after cataract surgery at a private eye specialist centre in Penang

Patient’s level of satisfaction with nurse-led telephone follow-up after cataract surgery at a private eye specialist centre in Penang

Effects of a Nurse-Led Phone Follow-up Education Program Based on the Self-efficacy Among Patients With Cardiovascular Disease.

The integration of self-efficacy (SE) theory within a nurse-led telephone follow-up education program (NP-FEP) has not been extensively evaluated for patients with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an NP-FEP in improving SE (primary outcome) and achieving goals related to cardiovascular risk (secondary outcome) for patients with cardiovascular disease. In June and July 2013, a total of 403 patients with cardiovascular disease in Shanghai were randomized into the intervention and control groups. Personalized end goals were established for improving cardiovascular risk for each patient. The control group received conventional follow-up education, whereas the intervention group was contacted by telephone 11 times over a 6-month period with staged goals developed based on SE theory. Self-efficacy scores and goals for reducing cardiovascular risk were assessed at baseline, at the end of the 6-month intervention, and 12 months after enrollment. The SE scores in both groups increased at 6 months and decreased slightly at 12 months. The baseline SE scores were similar between the groups (P > .05), but the average SE scores were increased more for the intervention group than for the control group at 6 (P < .05) and 12 (P < .05) months. In addition, the final goal achievement rates for the intervention group were significantly higher than for the control group (P < .05). The difference between the 2 groups was reflected by differences in cardiac disease risk factors defined by the World Health Organization. The NP-FEP improved SE and facilitated achievement of goals related to risk factors in patients with cardiovascular disease for at least 1 year.