Supportive Nursing Care and Satisfaction of Patients Receiving Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is the most important criterion in evaluating the quality of care. Besides, its assessment in patients with severe mental disorder treated by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is highly appropriate. The ECT is accompanied by lower satisfaction and may exacerbate the patients’ condition. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to determine the effect of supportive nursing care on the satisfaction of patients receiving ECT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the education center of Baharan psychiatric hospital, Zahedan, Iran. Seventy hospitalized patients receiving ECT were randomly divided into two groups of control (n = 35) and intervention (n = 35).The socio-personal and Webster Satisfaction Questionnaire were used as data collection tools. The intervention group received supportive nursing care by nurses trained in informational, emotional, and physical aspects. The control group received only regular nursing care. The levels of satisfaction were measured and compared between groups, before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software, and Chi-square, independent and paired t tests, as well as covariance analysis were performed. RESULTS: The results showed similarities in socio-personal characteristics of both groups. However, there was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the means of satisfaction in the groups, predominantly for the intervention group. In other words, a significant difference (P < 0.001) was observed between the means of satisfaction of the intervention (54.71 ± 5.27) and control (36.28 ± 7.00) groups after intervention by controlling the effect of socio-personal variables. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the current study confirmed the effect of supportive nursing care on increasing the level of satisfaction in ECT receiving patients, recommending the use of this therapeutic method.