Methods: Hundred and nine patients were included in this quasi-experimental survey study and divided into two groups as; the intervention group (n=57) and the control group (n=52). Patients in the intervention group were given planned discharge teaching and counselling by the research nurse beginning from hospitalization while the patients in the control group did not receive planned discharge teaching and counselling other than the routine clinical procedures. The patient data were collected using the “Personal Information Form” and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The anxiety and depression levels of the patients in the control and intervention groups were measured on the day of their admission to the hospital, on the day of discharge and one week and one month after discharge using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Results: It was found that the mean anxiety and depression scores of the patients in the intervention group were lower than in the control group at the time of discharge and one week and one month after discharge.
Conclusion: Discharge training and counselling service given to patients in the intervention group had a positive impact on alleviating the anxiety and depression they had. Therefore, the institutions may be recommended to support multidisciplinary patient training and counselling activities using the methods decribed in this study.