Effects of a Supportive Training on Caregiving Burden of Stroke Patients’ Caregivers after Discharge from an Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

Mahla  Dahmardeh; Hanie  Dahmardeh; Narjes Khatoon  Sadeghi; Alireza Ansari  Moghaddam

doi:10.18502/aacc.v11i2.17961

Mahla Dahmardeh Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Hanie Dahmardeh Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Narjes Khatoon Sadeghi Department of Nursing, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Alireza Ansari Moghaddam Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/aacc.v11i2.17961

Keywords: Stroke; Caregiver; Caregiving burden; Training-supportive program

Abstract

Background: The caregivers of stroke patients experience a sense of confusion and stress after the patients are discharged from the hospital. Such that after a while, they experience a sense of inability to provide care and an increased caregiving burden. Therefore, this research aims to study the effects of a supportive training program on the caregiving burden of stroke patients’ caregivers after discharge from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, the study population consisted of 60 caregivers of stroke patients. The sampling method was purposive based on the inclusion criteria. The intervention was performed in 6 supportive training program sessions. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires and the Novak and Guest Caregiver Burden Inventory. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test, independent t-test, and ANCOVA.

Results: There was no significant difference in the caregiving burden before the intervention between the two groups (intervention: 81.13 ± 13.99, control: 70.66 ± 14.61, P value= 0.030). After the post-test, the caregiving burden reduced significantly in the intervention group compared to before the intervention (56.46 ± 10.52) and compared with the control group (72.33 ± 15.86, (P value< 0.001).

Conclusion: According to the findings, the caregiving burden of stroke patients' caregivers can be alleviated through the intervention of supportive training, which is an effective and cost-effective method. As nurses play a key role in training and supporting these patients as primary caregivers, they should take this program seriously.