Influence of a Rehabilitation Nursing Care Program on Quality of Life of Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac rehabilitation is fundamental in the treatment of patients undergoing cardiac surgery regarding the educational, physical exercise and quality of life dimensions. Considering the competences of Specialist Nurses in Rehabilitation Nursing and the current prevalence of risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, it is essential to implement programs in this area.

Participants of both sexes will be included, between 25 and 64 years of age, meeting the criteria for low or moderate risk, class B for participation and exercise supervision, absence of signs/symptoms after cardiac surgery, with a left ventricular ejection fraction greater than 40%, according to the American Heart Association and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Inclusion criteria will consider patients with stable chronic heart failure (class I-III according to New York Heart Association), with dyslipidemia, controlled hypertension, without arrhythmias, without motor or psychic alterations, with previous acceptance of the informed consent of the intervention program. Participants will be excluded if present non-controlled arrhythmias, severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, unstable angina, uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus, decompensated coronary insufficiency, and pericarditis.

Supervised interventions will be provided during hospitalization, pre- and post-cardiac surgery, and 1 month after hospital discharge, considered phase I. In phase II, a physical exercise program will be performed, according to the norms of the American College of Sports Medicine, comprising 3 sessions of physical exercise per week lasting between 30 to 60 minutes, including heating, aerobic exercise and recovery/stretching. Hemodynamic data (blood pressure, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation) and the Borg scale will be recorded in the initial, intermediate and final periods of each session. The aerobic capacity will be evaluated through the 6-Minute Walk Test and health-related quality of life will be assessed through the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36V2) questionnaire. No control will be assessed.