Improving Nursing Knowledge in the Care of Patients Undergoing Pituitary Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project

Background: Surgical treatment of pituitary adenomas places patients at substantial risk for life-threatening postoperative complications due to the pituitary gland's unique anatomical position and endocrine function. When preoperative patient education is insufficient, early signs of complications such as excessive bleeding, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and diabetes insipidus may go unrecognized, resulting in delayed intervention. Objective: To support consistent and high-quality preoperative education across the continuum of care, this quality improvement project aimed to increase perioperative nurses' knowledge and competence in preoperatively preparing patients for pituitary surgery and postoperative care. Methods: A pretest and posttest design was used to implement an educational program for nurses. A knowledge test and the Nurse Professional Competence Scale were used. Results: Nurses' knowledge increased by 33.3%. Nurses (92%) reported a "relatively high" to "very high" competence level with regard to provision of patient education related to preoperative pituitary surgery. Conclusions: Consistent, evidence-based nurse education may improve nurses' knowledge and competence to better prepare their patients for pituitary surgery. Implications for Nursing: Providing nurses with targeted education on best practices in patient teaching supports their role as key educators in the preoperative setting. Effective nursing-led preoperative education may enhance patient understanding of their care.