Setting up a telenursing training program for heart failure self-care education

Abstract

Given the complex nature of heart failure (HF), nurses in clinical practice and nurse educators should employ a methodical approach in providing effective health education to the patient and their families even remotely. However, the limited training programs available and unprecedented nature of COVID-19 has rendered nurses less prepared to deliver heart failure self-care education. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of a training program which aim to equip nurses with specific skills in delivering heart failure self-care education using information and communication technologies (telenursing) in the context of the physical restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Four phases of program development and implementation were done: (1) Phase I: Planning Phase; (2) Phase II: Needs Assessment; (3) Phase III: Designing the Health Program; and (4) Phase IV- Implementation and Evaluation. Twenty-three nurses from a tertiary private hospital participated via video conferencing in the pilot implementation of the program led by doctorate students. Using Kaufman’s approach in qualitative evaluation, participants reported the training content, materials, and the method of delivery which were valuable, meaningful, and acceptable to them. They perceived the program further enhanced their competencies, and improved patient and organizational outcomes. Taking on a proactive role, nurses should explore measures of enhancing nurses’ knowledge and skills in self-care education through information and communication technologies (ICT). This training program based on participative planning and collaboration between academia and practice proves to be feasible and requires further empirical studies to test its effectiveness in real-word settings.