SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Assessment of Patient Understanding Through Interprofessional Heart Failure Education

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This quality improvement project evaluated whether interprofessional heart failure education led by medicine residents and heart failure nurses improved patient understanding using the teach-back method. Adult patients hospitalized for congestive heart failure exacerbation at SUNY Upstate Medical University were enrolled between July 2020 and August 2021. They participated in weekly one-hour education sessions, and their knowledge was assessed with pre- and post-education surveys.<br /><br />The intervention produced statistically significant improvements across all surveyed domains. Patients who could explain the reason for hospitalization and multiple heart failure symptoms increased from 19.3% pre-education to 93.6% post-education. Understanding of heart failure medications improved, as did knowledge of low-salt dietary choices and foods to avoid. Awareness of red-flag symptoms and when to call a doctor also rose markedly. In addition, patients reported better understanding of the language used by the healthcare team, greater inclusion in treatment decisions, and increased confidence managing their heart failure, all with p-values of 0.01.<br /><br />Of the 31 participants who completed the sessions, 28 (90%) said they were likely or very likely to recommend the education to others.<br /><br />The authors concluded that collaborative nurse- and resident-led education using teach-back can meaningfully improve patient understanding of heart failure. Limitations included the small, nonrandom sample, potential Hawthorne effect, possible influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and limited generalizability. Future work will examine whether this approach reduces 30-day readmissions and expands participation by additional heart failure nurses.

Asset Subtitle

Waseem Sous

Meta Tag

Author List Connie Randolph, Harvir S. Gambhir, Natasha Zmitrowitz, Waseem Sous

Category Innovations

Concept Interprofessional Education

Concept Heart Failure

Concept Patient Education

Concept Patient Understanding

Concept Teach-Back Method

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization SUNY Upstate Medical University

Presenting Author Waseem Sous

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

heart failure education

teach-back method

interprofessional collaboration

patient understanding

medicine residents

heart failure nurses

congestive heart failure

patient survey

self-management confidence

readmission reduction

Interprofessional Education

Heart Failure

Patient Education

Patient Understanding

Teach-Back Method