Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hemodialysis patients suffer from fatigue due to various problems, which negatively affects their quality of life and health status. The present study was performed with the aim of determining the effect of collaborative care model on the fatigue in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Methods: In this controlled clinical trial study, 52 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis were purposively selected and randomly divided into two groups of test and control. Demographic characteristics and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) Questionnaires were completed in both groups before intervention and collaborative care model implemented for 3 months in the test group based on motivation, readying, involvement, and evaluation stages in the intervention group. One month after the intervention, frequency and mean of fatigue severity were compared with pre-intervention data using Chi-square, independent t, and repeated measures statistical tests.

Results: After the intervention, mild fatigue increased and intense fatigue significantly deceased (p=0.02). Moreover, the results showed that after the intervention, the mean score of fatigue severity decreased in the intervention group (p=0.036).

Conclusion: Implementation of collaborative care model has positive effect on decreasing fatigue severity in hemodialysis patients, therefore, use of this model by nurses, improves the patients’ fatigue.

Keywords: Collaborative care; Hemodialysis patients; Fatigue; A randomized clinical trial.