en تخصصي Special پژوهشي Research <p style="margin-left: -7.1pt; text-align: justify;"><strong>Background:</strong> Diagnostic cardiac catheterization is a common procedure in coronary artery disease. Patients&rsquo; movement and activities are limited because of potential risks; therefore, they need bed rest. The current study aimed at investigating the impacts of changes in body position and earlier ambulation on comfort, bleeding, and ecchymosis after the diagnostic cardiac catheterization.<br> <strong>Methods: </strong>The current clinical trial with quasi-experimental design included 90 patients undergoing diagnostic catheterization hospitalized in Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The purposive sampling method was used in the current study and subjects were allocated into 2 groups of intervention and control each of 45. The control group received the routine practices, the supine and flat rest for 8 to 24 hours, and sandbag for 8 hours. The intervention group changed their position in bed; first hour in flat position and head of bed in 15&deg; and second hour in flat position and head of bed in 30&deg;; then, in the 3rd hour in 45&deg; position as well as applying sandbag on catheter entrance site for the first 3 hours; then, the patient was allowed to rest in any position (15&deg; to 30&deg;). Levels of comfort as well as the amount of bleeding and ecchymosis were studied immediately after the admission, 6 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days after the catheterization. Then, the results were analyzed using Chi-square and the Mann-Whitney tests with SPSS V. 11.5.<br> <strong>Results:</strong> There was no significant difference in the levels of comfort as well as the amount of bleeding and ecchymosis in early admission between the 2 groups, but the level of comfort was higher in the intervention group than the control group at the hours 6 and 24 after the catheterization (P < 0.001); in addition, there were no statically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the amount of bleeding and ecchymosis at 6 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days after the catheterization (P = 0.99).<br> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> It was observed that patients may be allowed to change their bed position, and they may be ambulated earlier (the sixth hour) after the diagnostic cardiac catheterization.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-left:-7.1pt;"></p> Diagnostic cardiac catheterization, Cardiac patient, Change of position, Early ambulation, Complications 19 26 http://jccnc.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-203-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Vahid Naseri Salahshour v.naserisalahshour@arakmu.ac.ir 10031947532846003184 10031947532846003184 No Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Masoume Sabzali Gol msabzaligol@gmail.com 10031947532846003185 10031947532846003185 Yes Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. Shiva Sadat Basaampour v.nursing@gmail.com 10031947532846003186 10031947532846003186 No Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Shokouh Varaei v.nursing@yahoo.com 10031947532846003187 10031947532846003187 No Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mahboube Sajadi sajadimahbobeh@yahoo.com 10031947532846003188 10031947532846003188 No Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. Abbas Mehran a.mehran12@yahoo.com 10031947532846003189 10031947532846003189 No Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.