Improving comprehensiveness of information given to pediatric cardiac surgery patients prior to surgery

Abstract

Cardiac surgery for critical pediatric patients places significant demands on hospital equipment and facilities. Parents of these patients are often under enormous stress due to insufficient knowledge regarding cardiac surgery and postoperative care procedures. This project used appropriate preoperative consultation given by nursing staffs to decrease stress and anxiety in parents of pediatric cardiac surgery patients. This project worked to enhance the completion rate of preoperative instructions for pediatric cardiac surgery patients and ensure their parents received comprehensive information and knowledge. The authors developed a standardized procedure for patient instruction and evaluation. Participants received instructions in the forms of a video presentation and printed handouts. Also, an educational training program was held and the implementation of preoperative patient instructions was made a routine task during nursing handover to enhance the completion rate. The completion rate of patient preoperative instructions to pediatric cardiac surgery rose from 78% to 98%; The cognitive degree of participating parents rose from 52% to 96%. This intervention effectively increased the completion rate of preoperative instructions for pediatric patients scheduled for cardiac surgery and improved clinical pediatric nursing care practicability and efficiency.