Medical research council framework for designing and evaluating a re-integration into life care plan in patients following upper limb amputation in Iran: An interventional study.

BACKGROUND

Traumatic amputation can cause permanent disabilities. These patients have many difficulties in reintegration into life and work. This research was conducted to evaluate re-integration into life care plan in patients following upper limb amputation.

METHODS

This study is a clinical trial with complex mixed method design. In this study, the effectiveness of finalized designed care plan was assessed between intervention and control group at 3 months follow-up. Reintegration into normal life index and Disability of arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire were used for data collection, and the collected data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software version 26.

FINDINGS: Results showed that, the reintegration into normal life care plan was significantly effective in the intervention group compare to control group (t=2.17, p,<0.001). Also, the score of disability of shoulder, arm and hand (DASH) after 3 month was significantly different between two groups (t=5.8), (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Reintegration into life care plan as an effective care plan, can be implemented in patients with upper limb amputation by involving patients and their families, considering the key role of nurses as coordinator with long term follow up, after discharge.