Effect of nursing protocol on severity of gastro-esophageal reflux disease symptoms among elderly patients

Abstract

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder among elderly individuals. Aging-related physiological changes and comorbidities may increase symptoms severity. Aim of the study: To evaluate the effect of nursing protocol on severity of gastro-esophageal reflux disease symptoms among elderly patients. Research design: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized. Subjects: A purposive sample of 60 elderly patients diagnosed with GERD. Setting: Conducted at the outpatient clinics at Minia University Hospital for the liver and digestive system in Minia City, Egypt. Tools: Two tools were utilized by the researcher for data collection. The first tool is a structured interview questionnaire for demographic and medical data, and the second tool is the Reflux Disease Questionnaire. Result: There was a significant reduction in the mean score of GERD symptom severity from 2.88±0.527 to1.60±0.542 after 12 weeks of intervention with a highly statistical significance difference (P?0.01) was detected between the two groups. Conclusion: Implementing a designed nursing protocol significantly reduces severity of GERD symptoms among elderly patients. Recommendation: Integrate Nursing Protocol in GERD Management, and develop Geriatric-Specific Guidelines.