Nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices about rehabilitation of patients after heart valve surgery in Namibia

A cardiac rehabilitation programme is a medically supervised intervention to assist patients in recovery after heart surgeries and to prevent potential complications. Nurses should have the knowledge, a positive attitudes, and good practices to improve patient quality of life during the recovery process.

This study aimed to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the nurses regarding cardiac rehabilitation for patients after heart valve surgery.

The study setting was Windhoek Central Hospital, Cardiac Unit, in Windhoek, Namibia.

A quantitative and descriptive research design was used for convenient non-probability sampling of (N = 23) nurses who consented to participate in the study. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS Version 26. Descriptive statistics were used and Fischer's Exact test for associations of variables was performed.

The study results showed a high level of knowledge, good attitudes, and poor to fair practices toward cardiac rehabilitation. However, the respondents demonstrate a lack of knowledge about the indications, and benefits of cardiac rehabilitation, negative attitudes regarding counselling of patients on sexual activities, and poor practice regarding exercises and counseling of patients and caregivers on cardiac rehabilitation. Furthermore, there is a positive relationship between the respondents' older age, senior rank, and having been trained I cardiac conditions and their knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding some core components of cardiac rehabilitation with P-value < 0.050.

There is a need for a cardiac rehabilitation programme to improve nurses' attitudes and practices toward cardiac rehabilitation.

Understanding the gap in knowledge, attitudes, and practices among the nurses regarding cardiac rehabilitation would guide the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) in the implementation of the cardiac rehabilitation for patients after heart valve surgery.