The Effect of a Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR) Education Program on Nurses’ Confidence and Competency in Cardiology Centre

By Chung Ka Wing (Angela) RN, MSc (Cardiology), BN, Cardiology Centre

Background

Nurses in Cardiology Centre are responsible for arranging consultations; non-invasive investigations; invasive investigations and providing health education to patients and relatives. Besides, nurses are required to confirm patients understood and agreed to undergo interventions before signing consents. Thus, it’s very important for nurses to have essential understanding on various interventions. Since one cardiologist expertise in structural heart disease (SHD) interventions joined the hospital in February 2018 and hence, there is an increase in SHD interventions.

Purpose and Problem Statement

Under the implementation of an education program on Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR) by providing a seminar and a hands-on workshop, it helps nurses in Cardiology Centre to deepen the understanding on TMVR; ensure they are competent to explain, answer and provide education to patients and relatives; as well as to improve the communication between Cardiologists and Nurses in Cardiology Centre.

The PICO question is does the implementation of an education program on transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) increase nurses’ confidence and competency in Cardiology Centre?

Implementation Plan

The education program included a 1-hour seminar by the Cardiologist and a hands-on workshop by the vendor in the same day. Questionnaire focused on the knowledge on TMVR and self-evaluation on the nursing staff were provided to all nurses in Cardiology Centre before the intervention, as well as one week and one month after the intervention.

Results

14 nurses (n=14) in Cardiology Centre were recruited in the pre- and post-questionnaire. The average score was only 57.1% but significantly increased to 91.4% and 98.6% one week and one month after the intervention respectively.

Besides, eventful increase of the self-evaluation on the ability and confidence (from 7.1% to 78.6%); and satisfaction (from 21.4% to 92.9%) in explaining TMVR were noted.

Moreover, 100% of the nurses are satisfied in attending the education program on TMVR and willing to attend the education program for other SHD interventions.

Recommendations and Next Steps

Nurses in Cardiology Centre are required to pass the annual competency test on TMVR, and education program on other SHD interventions would be provided in the future.

Nurses in the hospital would be invited to introduce TMVR during education programs.

Pamphlets would be established on all kinds of SHD interventions on behalf of the hospital.

The education program on TMVR will be used as a guideline for new interventions in the future.