Effect of Self-management protocol on Early Outcomes Among Patients with Lower Limb External Fixator

Abstract: An essential aspect of a successful treatment plan is the maintenance of stability and utilizing of external fixation through designing plans that educate patient regarding self-management of external fixator devices. Aim: Evaluate the effect of the self-management protocol on early outcomes among patients with lower limb external fixator. Design: A quasi experimental design was used. Subject: A purposive sample of sixty adult patients was randomly divided into 2 equal groups 30 for each. Setting: The study was carried out in the orthopedic departments and the outpatient clinic at Main Mansoura University hospital. Tool: "External fixation Patient's assessment sheet" it was composed of six parts; 1. Patients’ demographic and clinical data, 2. Checketts Otterburns Grading System. 3. External Fixation Patients' health Knowledge Questionnaire, 4. Patients' self-reported practices, 5. The exercise of self-Care agency scale, 6. Patient’s satisfaction scale. Results: Statistically significant improvement of infection grading, knowledge and self-reported practices, self-care agency scores post implementation of self-management protocol. Therefore, there was high significant positive correlation between infection grading with patients’ knowledge, self-reported practices and exercise of self-care agency scores for the study group at (p < 0.001), additionally, 70.3% of the patients in the study group were satisfied with the protocol. Conclusion: The self-management protocol has a positive effect regarding reduction the incidence of pin-site infection, increase level of knowledge, self-reported practices, and patient's satisfaction. Recommendations: Engage the self-management protocol in the routine nursing care.