STUDY DESIGN:Astudy group of 40 were selected, based on the predetermined criteria, from among the patients with spinal cord injuries who were being treated in Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty Neurosurgery Clinic, Şişli Etfal Research and Education Hospital Neurosurgery Clinic between July 2002 and October 2003. 20 individuals formed the control group and another 20 the experimental group. When gathering data, three separate forms were used: Patient Information Form, Functional Independence Measure–FIM and Self-Care Assessment Tool-SCAT.

RESULTS: According to the results of our investigation the level of self-care rose to the level of ‘medium dependency' in the control group and to ‘little dependency' in the experimental group; the level of functional independency was ‘semi-dependent under observation' in both groups despite a statistically significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: These results have indicated that the nursing care and education as well as the guidance book given to the individuals with spinal cord injury contributed to the increase in self-care power and independency of the patients. Anahtar Kelimeler : Spinal cord injury, nursing care, education, elderly patients, independency, self-care power