Effect of the use of Clinical Pathway for Patients with Unstable Angina on Nursing Performance and Patient's Outcomes

A clinical pathway is essential to outline the main clinical interventions that are carried out by a group of professionals. Aim: to investigate effect of using clinical pathway for patients with unstable angina on nursing performance and patient's outcomes in coronary care unit at University Hospital. Study design: Quasi experimental design Study subjects: includes all available nurses working in coronary care unit, (n=25) and all available patients admitted to the unit, (n= 100). Study tools: 1. Observation checklist: consists of part one: personal data for the nurses and second part is the observation checklist 2.Patients' outcomes tool: consists of part one: personal data of the patients and second part is the patients' outcomes tool; it was developed by the researcher. Result: there were statistical significant differences between control and study groups in patient's complications items and there was statistical significant difference between nurses' performance pre and post application of clinical pathway during study periods. Conclusion: nurses' performance improved and the undesired patient's outcomes decreased after clinical pathway application at study group. Recommendation: apply the clinical pathway for unstable angina patients rather than the hospital routine care and organize training workshops for nurses about implementation of clinical pathway.