POSITIVE EFFECTS OF INCREASED NURSE SUPPORT FOR MALE-PATIENTS AFTER ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

The effect of increased nurse support on patients below 70 years of ag e attending an out-patient clinic following acute myocardial infarctio n was evaluated. Patients who saw a nurse 14 days after discharge (n = 56) were compared to a control group (n = 47) who, following the ordi nary routines, were first seen 8 weeks after discharge. Increased nurs e support had positive effects on psychosocial variables such as depre ssive feelings, expected quality of life in the future, and satisfacti on with contact with the staff. However, no effects were found on any of the cardiac variables. Patients in the intervention group showed a 'decrease in depressive feelings during the 8 weeks follow-up period, whereas there was an increase for the control group. The patients in t he intervention group also tended to have a better belief in the futur e compared to the control group. Patients in the intervention group we re more satisfied with the staff contact than were the control group.