| A nurse-coached exercise intervention was conducted over a period of two years in a community based YMCA, using specialized equipment adapted for people with tetraplegic spinal cord injuries. Ten people with tetraplegic spinal cord injuries participated in the study, each completing three three-hour nurse-coached exercise sessions a week over a period of six months.;The purpose of the study was to determine what effects a nurse-coached exercise intervention would have ob muscle strength, self-reported self-efficacy, and quality of life. Results of the Manual Muscle Test (MMT), Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES), and Catz-Itzkovich Spinal Cord Independence Measures (CI-SCIM), the dependent variables, were collected at baseline (twice), and at three months into the intervention and at six months, which was the conclusion of the intervention.;The Sheehy Spinal Cord Injury Functional Improvement Via Exercise (SCI-FIVE) Model was constructed prior to the study and validated throughout the course of the study. Components of the SCI-FIVE Model include the spinal cord injured person, the nurse-coach, the exercise intervention in a community environment, and the presence of others with spinal cord injuries participating in the study who would provide encouragement and opportunities for vicarious learning. The expectations of the model were that, as muscle strength increased, functional ability would improve, resulting in greater independence, a higher sense of self-efficacy, and a higher quality of life.;Research question ;The answer to research question ;The subscale Mobility results supports the efficacy of the intervention. R-ANOVA indicated significant changes over time (F(3,27), = 8.6, p<.0001; Friedman's = 23.3, p<.0001). The subscale Respiratory and Sphincter Management results did not support the efficacy of the intervention. There were no statistically significant changes over time (p=.11).;The MSES was used to assess changes in self-reported self-efficacy in response to RQ ;The results of this study validated all components of the Sheehy SCI-FIVE Model and demonstrated increased muscle strength, increased self-efficacy, and improved quality of life for the ten study participants who participated in a nurse-coached program of exercise for people with tetraplegic SCI. |
