<![CDATA[Introduction: Cardiac catheterization is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis and management of cardiac diseases; however, post-procedural complications pose a significant clinical challenge affecting patient outcomes. A notable gap exists in the availability of locally adapted nursing guidelines within the Egyptian healthcare context. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of structured, evidence-based nursing guidelines in improving patient knowledge and reducing complications among patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was conducted at Beni-Suef University Hospital, Egypt, involving 130 patients (65 per group) selected through purposive sampling. Eligibility criteria included patients aged 20–60 years, hemodynamically stable, and undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic cardiac catheterization. The study group received structured nursing guideline sessions, while the control group received standard hospital care. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with significance set at p < 0. 05. Results: Regarding the primary outcome, there was a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.01) in post-catheterization complications — both early (within 24 hours) and late (after 24 hours) in the study group compared to the control group, immediately and at two weeks post-procedure. Regarding the secondary outcome, a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.01) was observed in patients' total level of knowledge and self-care practices related to cardiac catheterization care in the study group compared to the control group following nursing guidelines implementation. Conclusions: The implementation of evidence-based nursing guidelines significantly enhanced patients’ knowledge, reduced post-procedural complications, and promoted faster recovery after cardiac catheterization.]]>
