Creating an anticoagulant patient education class.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Patient education is crucial for postsurgical patients, especially those on oral anticoagulants (OAC).
• Staff surveys indicated a need for enhanced discharge education for patients and families regarding OAC therapy.
• Existing educational materials required augmentation to meet specific patient needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a patient education class for postsurgical patients on OAC.
• To address identified gaps in discharge education for OAC management.
• To improve patient self-efficacy and safety in anticoagulation therapy.

Main Methods:

• A patient education workgroup formed on a progressive care medical/vascular surgical unit.
• Developed class content using institutional pamphlets, physician input, and a patient education specialist.
• Focused content on home management of OAC, including INR, diet, and safety precautions.
• Utilized a group discussion and interaction format for the class.

Main Results:

• Preliminary survey results indicate high patient and family satisfaction with the education class.
• The class format was configured to meet patient and nursing staff needs.
• Useful feedback was gathered through post-class evaluations for continuous improvement.

Conclusions:

• The developed patient education class appears to be a successful method for improving OAC discharge education.
• High patient satisfaction suggests the class format and content are effective.
• Further quality improvement projects are planned to evaluate the class's effectiveness on OAC outcomes.