Assessment of an educational intervention on nurses' knowledge and retention of heart failure self-care principles and the Teach Back method

BackgroundNurses must have optimum knowledge of heart failure self-care principles to adequately prepare patients for self-care at home. However, study findings demonstrate that nurses have knowledge deficits in self-care concepts for heart failure.MethodsA quasi-experimental, repeated measures design was used to assess nurses' knowledge of heart failure self-care before, immediately after, and 3-months following an educational intervention, which also included the Teach Back method. Follow-up reinforcement was provided after the educational intervention.ResultsOne hundred fifty nurses participated in the study. Significant differences were found between pre-test (65.1%) and post-test (80.6%) scores (p < 0.001). Teach Back proficiency was achieved by 98.3%. Only 61 participants completed the 3-month assessment of knowledge. In this group, mean knowledge scores increased significantly across all three measurements (p < 0.001): 66.5% (pre-test); 82.1% (post-test); 89.5% (follow up post-test).ConclusionsParticipation in a comprehensive educational program resulted in increased nurses' knowledge of heart failure self-care principles and the knowledge was sustained and increased over time.