Evaluation of an intervention to individualise patient education at a nurse‐led heart failure clinic: a mixed‐method study

Aims and objectives The main aim of this study was to evaluate whether addressing the written questions of heart failure patients could individualise the education and increase patient satisfaction. A further aim was to describe the learning needs of patients with newly diagnosed heart failure. Background Despite well‐designed patient education, daily problems and self‐care sometimes seem difficult to manage for the patient with heart failure. The literature suggested that nurses should include individualised educational interventions. Design The study had an evaluative and descriptive design. Methods A mixed‐method approach was used. A quasi‐experimental method was used to compare patients in the control group (n = 41), who received regular education at the nurse‐led heart failure clinic, with patients in the intervention group (n = 44), who received regular education but also education addressing questions they had written down at home before coming to the clinic. Two instruments were used to investigate, respectively, whether the intervention caused patients to experience a greater sense of involvement in their education and greater satisfaction. The patients' questions were subjected to manifest content analysis. Results There was no significant difference in satisfaction with the education between the control group and the intervention group. However, the intervention group did feel more strongly that the information they received was related to their personal situation. The patients' learning needs before education were categorised as: causes and meaning of illness, control and management of the disease, impact on daily living and future health. Conclusion Asking heart failure patients to write down their learning needs before the education increases their chances of receiving education based on their individual needs. Relevance to clinical practice The method is simple and cost‐effective and could be a way to improve the patient education and facilitate person‐centred care.