EFFECTS OF NURSE- LED HIGH AND LOW INTENSITY REHABILITATION APPROACHES ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH GUILLAIN BARRE SYNDROME
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/z3zh9d90Keywords:
Hip surgery, WHO module, nursing intervention, daily activities, pain management, quality of life, rehabilitationAbstract
Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated neuropathy that leads to rapidly progressive weakness, sensory loss, and reduced functional independence, significantly affecting quality of life. Despite advances in acute treatment, many survivors experience persistent motor deficits, fatigue, and psychosocial challenges, especially in low-resource settings. Rehabilitation plays a critical role in recovery; however, evidence remains limited regarding the comparative effectiveness of high- versus low-intensity nurse-led rehabilitation programs. Nurses are central to patient assessment, monitoring, and individualized rehabilitation planning, yet the optimal intensity of such interventions is not clearly established. This study aims to evaluate the effects of high- and low-intensity nursing rehabilitation on the quality of life of GBS patients, with the goal of providing evidence-based guidance to improve functional recovery, emotional well-being, and daily living outcomes.
Objective: To determine the effects of the Nurse- led high & low intensity rehabilitation on quality of life among Guilin -Barre syndrome patients.
Methodology: A quasi-experimental pre- and post-study design was used to evaluate the effects of nurse-led high- and low-intensity rehabilitation on the quality of life of Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) patients. A total of 40 confirmed GBS patients were selected through convenience sampling at Lahore General Hospital (PINS) from June to December 2025. Data were collected using a structured demographic form and the validated WHOQOL-BREF scale, which measured physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. The intervention was delivered in two phases, beginning with low-intensity rehabilitation followed by high-intensity nursing-led exercises and psychosocial support. Pre- and post-intervention quality-of-life scores were compared using nonparametric tests in SPSS version 22, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. This methodological approach ensured a systematic assessment of the impact of rehabilitation intensity on patient outcomes.
Results: A total of 40 participants were included, most of whom were aged 35–45 years (60%) and female (60%). Normality testing using the Shapiro–Wilk test showed that both pre- and post-intervention QOL scores were not normally distributed (p < 0.001), leading to the use of non-parametric analysis. Following the nurse-led rehabilitation program, categorical QOL levels improved markedly, with poor QOL decreasing from 42.5% to 5%, and good QOL increasing from 0% to 7.5%. The Mann–Whitney U test revealed a significant improvement in overall QOL, with the post-intervention mean rank (48.86) higher than the pre-intervention mean rank (32.14) (U = 465.500, p < 0.001), demonstrating the effectiveness of both high- and low-intensity nurse-led rehabilitation in enhancing quality of life among GBS patients.
Conclusion: he study concludes that the WHO-based nursing intervention significantly enhanced patients’ daily functioning, reduced pain, and improved overall quality of life following hip surgery. These findings highlight the importance of structured rehabilitation and nurse-led guidance in promoting faster recovery and better postoperative outcomes. The intervention model can be effectively integrated into routine clinical practice to strengthen patient-centered care.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Rehana Tabbasum, Azeem Kaleem, Madiha Mukhtar (Author)

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