Abstract: 【Abstract】Objective To explore the effect of nursing intervention based on self-determination theory on the exercise behavior at home in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, in order to improve the home exercise strength in these patients. Methods A total of 72 MHD patients treated in the Hemodialysis Center of Huzhou First People's Hospital during August 2020 to December 2020 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into control group in which patients were given routine nursing and experiment group in which patients were treated with self-determination theory- based nursing intervention. After the intervention for 4 months, home exercise behavior stage, exercise self-efficacy (ESE), six-minute walk test (6MWT) and Kidney Disease Questionnaire (KDQ) were compared between the two groups. Results Home exercise behavior stage after the intervention improved in both groups, with the rate of regular exercise at home from 38.9% to 72.2% in experiment group better than that from 41.7% to 44.4% in control group (Z=-1.971, P=0.049). The scores of ESE and KDQ were better in experiment group than in control group (t=3.382, P=0.001; t=3.504, P=0.001), but 6MWT had no statistical difference between the two groups (t=1.925, P=0.058). Conclusion Nursing intervention based on self- determination theory increased the ESE, improve the exercise level at
home, and promoted the quality of life in MHD patients.

Key words: Maintenance hemodialysis, Self-determination theory, Rehabilitation, Exercise behavior stage