Patient and family satisfaction levels in the intensive care unit after elective cardiac surgery: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a preoperative patient education intervention

Lai, Veronica Ka Wai; Lee, Anna; Leung, Patricia; Chiu, Chun Hung; Ho, Ka Man; Gomersall, Charles David; Underwood, Malcolm John; Joynt, Gavin Matthew

Both satisfaction surveys consist of two parts, namely satisfaction with overall care (14 items) and satisfaction with decision-making (10 items). The surveys each take about 10-15 min to complete for patients and a close family member. All items use a five-point Likert scale, and will be recoded and transformed to a 0-100 scale (0 represents poor satisfaction, 100 represent high satisfaction) for both subscales and the total satisfaction score. The reliability of the overall satisfaction score is high (Cronbach's α=0.94), and there are moderate-to-strong correlations with the Quality and Dying and Death questionnaire and nurse-assessed quality indicators. 36 Both the Chinese 24-item FS-ICU survey for family members and its adapted patient version will be used on day 3 after the surgery. In the event that the patient stays longer than 24 hours in the ICU, the questionnaires will be completed on the third day after the time of extubation. Every effort will be made to collect the family satisfaction data during visiting hours by a blinded outcome assessor. Although the questionnaires are self-reported, a blinded assessor will help participants fill in the questionnaire as some have only primary school education or no formal education at all.