Effect of Nursing Program on Patients' Knowledge and Self-Care Strategies regarding Lymphedema Prevention Post Mastectomy

Document Type : Scientific peer reviewed journal

Authors

1 assistant lecturer of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University, Egypt

2 Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Benha University, Egypt

Abstract

 Background: Breast cancer related lymphedema is the most common serious complication
resulting from breast cancer treatments that augment the incidence of lymphedema post
mastectomy. Aim: To evaluate the effect of nursing program on patient’s knowledge and self- care
strategies regarding lymphedema prevention post mastectomy. Design: A quasi-experimental, pretest and post-test intervention study design was implemented to achieve the aim of the current
study. Setting: The study was conducted in general surgery department and oncology department
affiliated to Benha University Hospital, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt. Sample: A purposive sample
consisting of 60 women post-mastectomy participated in the current study. Tools: Tool (1) Post
mastectomy patients’ assessment interview questionnaire: It includes three parts: Part (I) Patients’
personal data, Part (II) Patients’ medical and surgical data, and Part (III) Patients’ knowledge
assessment. Tool (II): Part (I) Patients’ self-care strategies observational checklist (applied pre/post
program implementation), Part (II) Self-reported instructions for arm lymphedema prevention. Tool
(III): Patients’ lymphedema assessment scale: It include three parts: Part (I) Assessment presence of
lymphedema & numerical pain scale, Part (II) Arm girth measurement scale and Part (III) the upper
extremity functional index. Results: One third of study patients had acute lymphedema
immediately post mastectomy and there was positive correlation between patients' overall variables
and their self-reported instructions for lymphedema prevention pre as well as post program
implementation and before and after mastectomy also at follow-up of program in 2 weeks, 3
months, and 6 months. Conclusion: Overall, most of study patients didn’t develop breast cancer
related lymphedema by 3 months and 6 months follow up after implementation of self-care
educational program. Moreover, there was a highly statistically significant difference of studied
patients’ total knowledge, learned exercises and self-reported instructions post implementation of
educational program. Recommendations: The study should be replicated on a large sample size at
different settings in Egypt to generalize the results. 

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Journal of Nursing Science Benha University
Volume 4, Issue 1
January 2023
Pages 632-649

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