Pulmonary Artery Catheters: Impact of e-Learning on Hemodynamic Assessments

Pulmonary artery catheters (PACs) are invasive devices placed in critically ill patients to monitor hemodynamic data. They are a high-risk, and in some settings a low-volume, medical device due to the complex insertion procedure and potentially lethal complications. Smaller intensive care units (ICUs) have large variances in exposure to PACs, therefore strengthening ICU nurses' belief in their ability to manage these hemodynamic monitoring devices is of utmost importance. The design is a single-group, pre/posttest study conducted on a 15-bed ICU to survey nurses' self-efficacy, knowledge, and satisfaction of an e-learning educational module. Both PAC and noninvasive cardiac output monitor patient application data were collected prior to and following the intervention. Fifteen ICU nurses completed all components of the module. Confidence in ability to accurately interpret hemodynamic data increased from pre- to postintervention (P < .001), and knowledge also increased from pre- to postintervention, albeit not statistically significantly (P = .088). Overall, nurses reported satisfaction with the educational module. With increased self-efficacy, nurses can feel empowered and motivated to further improve patient care management. Thus, workplaces should continue to advocate for additional educational tools for high-risk, low-volume devices.