The Effectiveness of Peer Group-Based Training on the Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Transradial Coronary Angiography

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery angiography using radial artery is one of the methods used for diagnosis of coronary artery disease, which causes physical and psychological problems in patients despite its precise and definite diagnosis. The present study is aimed at investigating the effect of peer group-based education on physical and psychological outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery angiography through the radial artery. Methodology. The present clinical study was conducted on 60 patients undergoing coronary angiography through the radial artery in Vali-e-Asr educational hospital of Fasa during 2018 to 2019. The participants were divided into peer training and control groups (n = 30 in each group) using permutated block randomization. In the peer training group, the patients received the necessary precare training through peer training during and after angiography care. In the control group, the patients received the routine care by the nurse of the related ward. The peer group's stress, anxiety, and depression levels were evaluated before and after the training. Indeed, their comfort, tolerance, satisfaction, and pain levels were measured by a nurse after angiography at the time of entering the ward. Findings. The results indicated no significant difference between the two groups regarding the mean scores of stress, anxiety, and depression before the intervention (p > 0.05). After the intervention, however, there was a significant difference between the two groups concerning the mean score of anxiety (p < 0.05). Nonetheless, no significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of tolerance, comfort, satisfaction, and pain levels (p > 0.05). Finally, the level of pain decreased in both groups over time (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Peer group-based training was effective in decreasing the mean score of anxiety in the patients undergoing coronary angiography. Thus, this method is recommended to be utilized alongside other methods to train patients before coronary angiography due to its inexpensiveness and lack of side effects as well as not increasing the nurses' workload.