Is education given by nurse effect symptom control and healthbehaviors in patients with acute coronary syndrome?

Aim: This study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of education provided by the ill nurse with acute coronary syndrome on symptom control and health behaviors. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 patients with acute coronary syndrome followed up at the university hospital were included into the study. The patients were perceived randomly and separated into two groups. 40 patients constituted the intervention groups and 40 patients constituted the control groups. We interviewed with the intervention and control groups twice with eight weeks interval. The data was collected with patient introduction form, Cardiovascular Limitations and Symptoms Profile and the Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale. The intervention group was informed about acute coronary syndrome, risk factors and lifestyle changes and a color education booklet was given to the intervention group. Control group did not receive any interventions. For the statistical analyses; Independent Samples t, Fisher exact test, Paired Samples test, chi square, McNemar and Pearson correlation analysises were used. Results: It was found that limitations and symptoms decrease in the intervention group other second interview while that limitations and symptoms increase in the control group. In addition, it was determined that healty life style behavior considerably increase in the intervention group after second interview, but in the control group it wasn't significant. Patients with acute coronary syndromes were observed to be able to reduce the limitations and symptoms of patients through the training provided by the nurse and develop healthy lifestyle behaviors. xiv Conclusions: For this reason, we recommend that health education be given to patients with acute coronary syndrome and this training should be repeated at regular intervals. Key Words: Acute coronary syndrome, patient education, limitations and the symptoms, healthy life style behavior, nurse.