Evaluating the effect of nurse-led telephone follow-ups (tele-nursing) on the anxiety levels in people with coronavirus

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, the prevalence of coronary heart disease has challenged the lives of families around the world. Anxiety is one of the most important consequences of coronavirus. The nurse-led telephone follow-ups (tele-nursing) are a way to train nurses to further improve nursing services and increase the patients' well-being. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of nurse-led telephone follow-ups (tele-nursing) on the level of anxiety of people with coronavirus who spend their quarantine and treatment at home. METHODS: In this semi-experimental study, the number of sample was 100 newly diagnosed patients with Corona, who were tested positive using the CT scan of the lungs and were selected by continuous sampling. In this study, Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory was used to collect data before and after the intervention. Samples were randomly divided into control and intervention groups (50 subjects in each group) after receiving initial training in the form of lectures on the corona disease, and the tele-nursing program was implemented on the intervention group every other day for 21 consecutive days. Finally, after the end of the 21(st) day and the completion of the tele-nursing intervention, the questionnaire was again completed by the control and intervention groups and the results of both groups were compared. RESULTS: The results indicated that the level of anxiety in the two groups after the training program and tele-nursing were significantly different (p < 0.001) and the mean score of the anxiety level after the training program and tele-nursing was significantly reduced (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study showed that tele-nursing has had a significant effect on reducing the anxiety level of people with Cavid-19 virus. As the telephone technology is available in most clients' homes and its use is easy and accessible, it is recommend including this technology in the field of nursing care and training especially in relation to people with coronavirus.