The effect of nursing care and follow-up for mothers of infants undergoing congenital heart surgery: a quasi-experimental study

Improvements in congenital heart surgery have resulted in an increasing number of infants surviving, but there remain concerns about home care and difficulties experienced by mothers. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of nursing care and follow-up for the mothers of infants undergoing congenital heart surgery on anxiety, care burden, and self-efficacy. The study was designed as a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test control group design. The study included 40 mothers whose infants had undergone congenital heart surgery. Nursing care was provided to the mothers of the infants included in the study group through a total of six home follow-ups until the third month after surgery, guided by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association and Nursing Diagnosis System and Nursing Interventions Classification. Data were collected through Care Needs Identification Form, Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, and Parental Self-efficacy Scale. The mean State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Zarit Burden Interview scores for the mothers in the intervention group decreased, while the mean Parental Self-efficacy Scale scores increased as the follow-up progressed and it was determined that by the third month, the difference between the mothers in the intervention group and those in the control group in terms of post-test State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Zarit Burden Interview, and Parental Self-efficacy Scale had become statistically significant. Providing appropriate nursing care practices to the mothers of the infants had undergone congenital heart surgery in home setting has the potential to decrease the problems experienced by the mothers.