A Focus on Congestive Heart Failure-Related Patient Education After Open Heart Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project

After open heart surgery patients often develop symptoms associated with congestive heart failure (CHF), or fluid volume overload. To prevent heart failure-related symptoms in the postoperative period patients must be educated on heart failure self-care.

To decrease the percentage of postoperative open heart surgical patients with CHF-related questions and concerns from 44% to 30% by March 2020.

A cardiac surgery educational booklet and an educational electronic health record template were identified to guide a CHF educational pathway. Intensive care staff nurses provided patient education after surgery. PDSA cycles were performed in succession to roll out the quality improvement (QI) initiative.

Of patients experiencing postoperative issues, 44% of patients developed symptoms or concerns related to heart failure. Upon implementation of the CHF-focused pathway 15% of patients were exhibiting symptoms or concerns related to CHF, out of all patients with postoperative issues.

CHF, and fluid volume overload continues to be a difficult pathology requiring close management and follow up. After open heart surgery, providing concise, CHF-focused education results in reduced CHF-related patient concerns after discharge.

By providing a disease-focused patient education nurses can reduce the complications that patients develop after an inpatient hospital.