Impact of a Designed Nursing Teaching Protocol on Quality of Life of Patients with Chronic Lower Limb Ischemia at Assiut University Hospital

Chronic lower limb ischemia is a prevalent systemic atherosclerotic disease that impairs a patient's quality of life and untreated disease can lead to limb loss. The aim was; to evaluate the impact of a designed nursing teaching protocol on quality of life of patients with chronic lower limb ischemia. Research hypotheses; Participants will have less disease symptoms as compared to prior application of nursing protocol, The functional capacity will improve as presented by ankle brachial index, The knowledge of studied patients after application of nursing protocol will be higher than their knowledge before protocol, and quality of life of participants will improve. A quasi – experimental research design was utilized. The study was conducted at vascular surgery department and its outpatient clinics of Assuit University Hospital. A convenience sample of sixty adult male and female patients. Tools for data collection; tool I "Patients' structured assessment sheet", tool II “Vascular quality of life questionnaire".  The control group exposed to routine hospital care and assessed two times by using tool I and tool II. While study group patients received the contents of the designed nursing teaching protocol and assessed two times also by using the same tools. Data was collected & analyzed. Results concluded that; all patients in both groups were having unsatisfactory level of knowledge about disease in the time of admission. While in the time of follow up; the control group still had unsatisfactory level of knowledge and most of the study group patients became having satisfactory level of knowledge which reflected into their quality of life. As their quality of life became good. Theses study findings documented that; the more information the patient is provided the better equips to manage this chronic disorder. Keywords: Nursing teaching protocol, Quality of life, Chronic lower limb ischemia