INTRODUCTION: Patients with heart failure have decreased exercise tolerance, balance problems, and fall risks. AIM: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of an exercise program based on the Empowerment Model for participants with heart failure. METHOD: This randomized, controlled study including pre-test/post-test and the measurements were performed between January-November 2014 at a university hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Intervention group (n = 11) and control group (n = 10) participated in the research. The intervention group received 45 to 60 minute individual training and 12 weeks of individual follow-up. The weekly motivational phone calls structured according to the empowerment model and home visits when necessary were repeated. Patients in the control group did not receive any intervention except for their routine treatment. Data were collected before the education of exercise and after 12 weeks; sociodemographic data questionnaire, pedometer, accelerometer, Berg Balance Scale, HF Empowerment Scale, estimated weekly exercise monitoring form and exercise booklet had been utilised. The SPSS statistical package program was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: After the exercise program, a significant increase was seen in comparison with the control group in the mean scores of the intervention group on the Heart Failure Empowerment Scale, on the Berg Balance Scale. But, at the end of the exercise program, no significant increment was seen in comparison with the control group in the mean scores of the intervention group on the activity level (X, Y and Z axis). CONCLUSION: The results of this study were evidence that showed the effects of Empowerment Model-based exercise program conducted by nurses and multidisciplinary team.

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