A Study of the Nursing Intervention Based on Self-Efficacy Theory for Patients After Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement: A Randomized Controlled Trial

AIM: To explore the practicability and efficiency of self-efficacy intervention on the nursing for patients after mechanical heart valve replacement (MHVR), so as to provide a theoretical and data foundation for the implementation of self-efficacy intervention in clinical practice. METHODS: This study adopted a randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 140 patients undergoing MHVR were randomly divided into the experimental group (normal nursing + self-efficacy intervention) or the control group (normal nursing only) based on a random number table. The primary goal was to evaluate the effect of self-efficacy theory on the self-efficacy of postoperative MHVR patients by General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). The secondary goal was to assess the improvement of mental health of postoperative patients as well as their pain through Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and the visual analogue scale (VAS). The incidence of infection during hospitalization was analyzed, as well as the medication compliance of patients during 3-month follow-up after discharge. RESULTS: Finally, 136 patients completed the whole trial. The GSES score of the experimental group was notably superior over the control group (p < 0.001), and the SCL-90 scores were lower over the control group. The VAS score of the experimental group was remarkably lower than that of the control group (p < 0.001). The incidence of infection in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group (p = 0.026). The medication compliance of the experimental group was superior to that of the control group (p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Self-efficacy intervention for patients after MHVR could mobilize their self-efficacy, enhance their postoperative medication compliance, and improve their postoperative recovery. This study provides evidence-based medicine (EBM) evidence for the application of self-efficacy theory to postoperative nursing for patients receiving MHVR.