EFFECTS OF TWO METHODS OF DANGLING ON HEART RATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN POSTOPERATIVE ABDOMINAL HYSTERECTOMY PATIENTS.
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 180
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Nurses advocate dangling as a nursing intervention to prevent orthostatic hypotension. One specific situation for which dangling has been specified is the postoperative period.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two methods of dangling on heart rate and blood pressure in postoperative abdominal hysterectomy patients. The conceptual framework used to guide this study was an adaptation of the Neuman systems model, which was enhanced by physiologic theory.

The sample consisted of 20 postoperative abdominal hysterectomy patients between the ages of 31 and 53 years. These patients met stringent criteria for inclusion in the study. During the morning of the second postoperative day, each patient was dangled by a method in which the feet were hanging freely, as well as by a method in which the feet were moving. Prior to each method of dangling, the patient rested supine in bed for 20 minutes. Heart rates and blood pressures were measured while the patient was in the supine position, 2 and 4 minutes into the dangle, 0.5 and 2 minutes after standing.

Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed a significant interaction between method of dangling and time of measurement for both heart rate and systolic blood pressure. The main effect across time was significant for heart rate, as well as systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure. The main effect of dangling method was significant for systolic and mean arterial pressure. Overall, the mean values for each variable were higher while the feet were moving than the values while the feet were hanging freely. These findings tended to support the dangling intervention with the feet moving as a method to strengthen the flexible line of defense by taking advantage of the muscle pump aspect of normal physiology.

Recommendations included replicating the study for patients following a variety of surgical procedures and using less stringent criteria. Also, it was recommended to conduct research on dangling at a time closer to the surgical procedure. A final recommendation was to conduct research on dangling which includes continuation of leg muscle contractions after assuming the standing position.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-09, Section: B, page: 3923.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1989.

School code: 0005.