Nurses and Patients/Informal Caregivers Knowledge of Core Heart Failure Medications

Nurses educate patients/informal caregivers during hospitalization; however, knowledge about heart failure (HF) medication classes and medication taking is unknown.

To examine and compare hospital-based nurses' and patients'/caregivers' knowledge about HF medications.

A prospective, cross-sectional, comparative design and survey methods were used to conduct this study. Cardiac and medical-surgical hospital nurses, patients/caregivers completed a 20-item medication knowledge assessment about HF medication classes and medication-taking. After obtaining univariate analyses between total knowledge score and nurse and patient/caregiver characteristics, multivariable linear models were run to compare scores between nurses and patients, adjusting for variables with P values < .2 in univariate analyses.

Of 145 nurses, 264 patients and 67 caregivers from 4 medical centers, standardized mean (SD) HF medication knowledge scores for nurses, patients, and caregivers were 58 (10.4), 48.7 (13.7), and 54.8 (13.7), respectively. All groups scored highest for loop diuretics and lowest for mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Nurses working in an academic center versus community hospitals had higher overall knowledge scores, P = .003, and patients had lower scores than caregivers, P = .001. After adjusting for nurse and patient factors that were associated with univariate knowledge scores, most results remained similar to univariate scores, except that nurses who perceived themselves to be moderately to very knowledgeable versus not/somewhat knowledgeable had higher renin angiotensin system inhibitor scores ( P = .020) and patients with HF diagnoses greater than 3 years had lower scores than those with HF for less time, P = .007.

Nurses and patients/caregivers lack foundational HF medication knowledge. Better understanding may enhance adherence and support medication up-titration.