Research Information System
Türk Yoğun Bakım Dergisi, vol.15, no.3, pp.98-106, 2017 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the exercises ofprogressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on vital signs and anxiety level after endotracheal extubationin open heart surgery.Materials and Methods: This study was carried out as quasi-experimental, pre-test, and post-testwith a control group. The study recruited 30 experimental and 30 control group open heart surgerypatients, who met the inclusion criteria, from a cardiac and vascular surgery clinic of a universityhospital. PMR exercises, which were taught before the surgery, were implemented after thesurgery in the intensive care unit simultaneously with endotracheal extubation. The vital signs ofthe patients were monitored for the first 30 min. The anxiety levels were measured after 30 minof extubation with state anxiety inventory.Results: The lower rates of heartbeat, breathing, arterial blood pressure, and anxiety were observedin the experimental group in all measurements (first 30 min after endotracheal extubation), and thedifferences were statistically significant in favor of the experimental group (p<0.05).Conclusion: The study showed that the relaxation exercises after endotracheal extubation in openheart surgery patients was effective in improving vital signs and reducing anxiety level.