Continuous nursing reduces postoperative complications and improves quality of life of patients after enterostomies

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate whether continuous nursing care can improve QOL and reduce complications of adult and pediatric patients after enterostomies. Methods: A total of 120 patients were enrolled, consisting of 60 adults and 60 pediatrics. They were randomly divided into the adult test group receiving continuous nursing care (N=30), adult control group receiving routine nursing care (N=30), pediatric test group receiving continuous nursing care (N=30), and pediatric control group receiving routine nursing care (N=30). The adult control group and pediatric control group were followed up every month with routine telephone interviews after discharge. Complications of the four groups during the six months after discharge were compared. Negative emotions were evaluated by the Self rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Quality of life (QOL) scores of the four groups of patients and awareness levels of the family members of the three groups about intestinal stoma, as well as nursing satisfaction, were evaluated and compared. Results: After intervention, incidence of complications in the adult test group and pediatric test group was significantly lower than that in the adult control group and pediatric control group (P<0.05), respectively. SAS and SDS scores of the adult test group and pediatric test group were significantly lower than those of adult control group and pediatric control group (P<0.05). QOL scores of the study groups were significantly higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Knowledge of intestinal stoma in the adult test group and pediatric test group was significantly higher than that in the adult control group and pediatric control group (P<0.05). Nursing satisfaction scores of the adult test group and pediatric test group were significantly higher than those of the control groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: Continuous nursing care after discharge can mitigate patient complications and improve QOL, as well as improve patient satisfaction.