Efficacy of an in-home nursing intervention following short-stay breast cancer surgery

This randomized controlled trial (n=240) was designed to test the efficacy of a sub-acute home nursing intervention following short-stay surgery for breast cancer. Intervention participants received the in-home nursing protocol, whereas non-intervention participants received agency nursing care or no nursing care. Data, collected via questionnaire, telephone interview, and chart audit, included surgical recovery/self-care knowledge, functional status, anxiety, quality of life (QOL), and health service utilization. There were no significant group differences on postoperative functional status, anxiety, QOL, further surgeries, or complications. Intervention participants were more likely to receive instruction on surgical self-care (P less than or equal to .001) and report improved social/family QOL (p less than or equal to .05), with fewer home visits (P less than or equal to .001). These findings suggest that a targeted nursing protocol may, at reasonable cost, improve QOL and enhance health-related knowledge. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.