Effect of Nursing Interventions on Health Outcomes of Patients with Lower Limbs Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Background: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common progressive condition, which typically involves lower extremity edema, skin trophic changes, and discomfort secondary to venous hypertension. Disability-related to chronic venous insufficiency attributes to diminished quality of life and loss of work productivity. If CVI is left untreated it is usually progressive and leads to the post-phlebitic syndrome and venous ulcers. The use of conservative treatment is considered as the cornerstone of treatment but compliance rates are poor. Objective: Determine the effect of nursing interventions on health outcomes of Patients with lower limbs chronic venous insufficiency. Settings: The present study was conducted at the vascular surgery outpatient clinics of Alexandria Main University Hospital and Alexandria Vascular Center (AVC), Egypt. Subjects: A convenience sample of 70 adult male and female patients with lower limbs chronic venous insufficiency who followed the inclusion criteria were categorized randomly into two equal groups (study group and control group). Each group comprised of 35 patients. Tools: seven tools were used. Tool one: Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). Tool two: Lower limbs chronic venous insufficiency patients’ knowledge structured interview schedule. Tool three: Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS). Tool four: Assessment of the muscles strength. Tool five: Ankle range of motions assessment. Tool six: SF-36 Short Form Health Survey. Tool seven: Lower limbs chronic venous insufficiency patient's competence and compliance with nursing interventions. Results: The study showed that there was a significant improvement in knowledge level in the study group more than in the control group patients post implementation of nursing interventions ( P<0.001*). Furthermore, there was significant improvement in total score of Venous Clinical Severity in study group patients with significant difference between the study and control group after 3 months of implementing the nursing interventions (P=0.002*).Moreover, study group patients had improvement regarding muscles strength assessment, ankle range of motions assessment post implementation the nursing interventions. the study groups exhibited significant improvement in overall QOL than the control group post 3 months of implementing the nursing interventions (p<0.001*).Conclusion: The nursing intervention for patients with lower limbs chronic venous insufficiency showed a positive result in relation to knowledge level health outcomes as evidence by improvement total venous clinical severity, muscles strength assessment, ankle range of motions assessment. As well as, improved overall percent score of health survey. Recommendations: The developed colored illustrated educational booklet should be available and distributed to each patient with lower limbs chronic venous insufficiency. An in-service training program should be carried out for nurses who worked at vascular department about structured exercises programs for CVI patients.