Effect of telenursing on stress, anxiety and depression in patients with myocardial infarction

Introduction
These problems along with myocardial infarction (MI) lead to worse physical and mental conditions, poor quality of life, readmission, and premature death. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of telenursing on stress, anxiety, and depression in MI patients.

Material and methods
This quasi-experimental study was performed on 40 MI patients who were selected using simple random sampling and divided into intervention and control groups (n = 20 per group). Routine training was given to both groups before discharge. Then a demographic information questionnaire and standard Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale – 21 Items (DASS-21), which had acceptable validity and reliability, were provided to each patient. The intervention group, in addition to routine training, received an average 10-min telephone follow-up intervention once a week for one month.

Results
The mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression before the intervention were 18.80 ±47.4, 13.60 ±3.7, and 8.60 ±2.89 in the control group, and 20.90 ±6.03, 12.00 ±5.06, and 9.70 ±3.06 in the intervention group respectively, which were statistically significant in both groups after the intervention (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
The results showed that nurse-led telephone training and follow-up reduce stress, anxiety and depression in MI patients. It is recommended to take into account this method considering the lack of need for travelling, reduction of additional costs, and timely access to information, and training hygiene tips in health care centers.