This poster showcases a Best Practice Guideline (BPG) project focused on designing and implementing a visual infographic-style educational tool to support caregivers in understanding what to expect during the first 12–24 hours after cardiac surgery. The project originated from identified gaps in caregiver education, informed by input from CVICU nurses who interact daily with families. The poster highlights the collaborative process used to create a resource that is evidence-based, accessible, and tailored to caregiver needs. A small-scale feasibility study with the target population was conducted to assess the tool’s usefulness before broader clinical implementation. Looking forward, this project demonstrates the potential to expand and adapt the resource to multiple areas of practice.
Introduction
Education for caregivers of cardiac surgery patients provides mental health benefits, including reduced uncertainty and emotional stress (Dalirirad, Najafi & Seyedfatemi 2021; Lai et al., 2016). Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU) nurses at Unity Health Toronto (UHT) noted caregivers regularly express gaps in knowledge regarding the immediate post-operative period. Providing education often falls to nurses, further exacerbating their cognitive strain and workload. The aim of this project was to develop and assess the impact of providing a short, easily digestible educational resource to caregivers at UHT on the CVICU post-operative care period in alignment with the RNAO Facilitating Client-Centered Learning guideline (2012).
Methods
Nurses completed a survey evaluating areas where they felt caregivers required easily digestible education regarding post-operative cardiac care. Survey results were used to develop a short, easily digestible, one-page infographic incorporating patient and family education best practices, which detailed the post-operative process (i.e., first 12-24 hours following cardiac surgery). Knowledge was assessed among 14 caregivers of pre-operative CVICU patients. Caregivers then received the educational tool, were given time to review the tool, and had their knowledge reassessed.
Results
Among CVICU nurses, 79% felt current educational materials inadequately prepare caregivers, and reported being frequently asked questions during the initial postoperative period. In addition, 66.7% of nurses also felt that caregivers appeared to lack a clear understanding of the immediate postoperative process and would respond well to timely, sequentially presented information aligned with the care timeline. Among caregivers, only 21% rated themselves as “very knowledgeable” about what to expect in the post-surgical period before receiving education, while post-education, 92% rated themselves as “very knowledgeable”.
Discussion
Education improved caregivers’ self-rated knowledge of the post-operative CVICU care timeline. This quality improvement project aligns with the RNAO best practice guideline of supporting client-centred learning by providing caregivers with education that informs them about the health and care of their loved-one, resulting in marked improvement in their knowledge of the post-operative process. This initiative demonstrates the benefit of a short, easily digestible educational resource as a tool to support caregiver knowledge. Beyond the CVICU, this intervention demonstrates promising potential for scalability to other care areas where caregivers often demonstrate need for post-operative knowledge (e.g., surgical units, critical care).
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| e-poster (An Educational Tool to Improve Caregiver Knowledge about Post-Operative CVICU Care Timelines) (139.82 KB) | 139.82 KB |
