As aforementioned, data collection was carried out fromDecember
2006 to December 2008.
Medical records were used to obtain
clinical data (diagnosis, ECG results, myocardial markers,
angiography results). Also, structured face-to-face interviews
were conducted among patients by two of the researchers with
the use of a questionnaire, which was developed by the research
team of this study.
The structured interviews were conducted
during the patients’ period of hospitalization and within 48 h
after hospital admission provided that the patient was haemodynamically
stable and without AMI symptomatology.
The
researchers who obtained the data were registered nurses specializing
in cardiac nursing and with similar clinical experience for
years. In addition, the researchers had been appropriately educated
in data collection by the use of the structured questionnaire
of our study. These conditions ensured high reliability and
similarity in data collection.