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theses

Purpose: The main purpose of the study was to administer a pre and post intervention Likert scale survey, and to assess if providing formal education to registered nurses about postoperative pain, increased the frequency of nurse led education to patients who are about to undergo cardiothoracic surgery. The purse of the study was also to increase patient knowledge and perception about post-operative pain, and its management, to ease their rehabilitation and hospital stays.

Methodology: Cardiothoracic registered nurses working with pre-operative patients were recruited for this study. After completing the pre-intervention Likert scale survey, the nurses received formal education on post-operative pain management. The nurses then relayed the information to their patients. One month after the intervention, the nurses took the post intervention Likert scale to assess if there was an increase in the frequency of nurse led education.

Results: No significant increases in patient education on the Likert Scale Survey were noted from pre-intervention (x̄ = 9.4) to post-intervention (x̄ = 9.4) based on the Pillai Trace (F = 1.27, p = 0.33), Wilk’s Lambda (F = 2.65, p = 0.07), and Hotelling Trace (F = 1.41, p = 0.28) One-Way Manovas at α = 0.05.

Implications for Practice:
Clinical Practice: The implications for clinical practice are increased patient preparedness and education which allowed patients to better handle the recovery period after surgery. This provided a smoother transition into recovery in the ICU which will benefit the patients and the intensive care treatment team.

Healthcare Policy: The policy considerations are to make patient education part of the core treatment delivery plan. Nurses at the bedside should be more encouraged and supported to administer patient education. Also, the pre-operative education provided by the cardiac surgery team should have a more detailed focus on pain management. It is the hope of the project that after seeing the results, and the importance behind the interventions, that daily practice in regard to patient education will change and improve. This is to be done at a bedside level, as well as hospital administration.

Quality & Safety: Patient safety and quality of care will increase after the interventions have been implemented. The basis of the project is to increase the quality of care delivered and the safety of patients post-surgery as their knowledge on what to expect increases. Increased knowledge on the aftermath of surgery will better allow patients to adhere to the recovery course in the intensive care unit such as physical therapy, and incentive spirometry use.

Education: The interventions of the project are very important for the field of education. Increased patient education will increase their preparedness and improve their hospital stay. The project will also be a foundation of education for those in other disciplines who intrigued to implement a project of their own.

Economic: Economic benefits to the Medical Center were not immediate but longer term. Decreasing length of stay would reduce the financial burden associated with prolonged recovery in the intensive care unit.

ETD_10760

DNP

Includes bibliographical references

doi:10.7282/t3-kecj-3a90

ETD doctoral

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