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

This study builds on the work performed in the past. The video provides comprehensive and standardised preoperative information to patients and family members about ICU care to complement preoperative information given by other healthcare professionals working in the cardiac surgical ward. Early informal feedback from patients and family members in the treatment arm is positive, with a common theme that the intervention makes the perioperative pathway processes more transparent to them. This may help set more achievable recovery goals and expectations, and therefore affect satisfaction levels related to the healthcare provided. However, a limitation of the study is that the overall contact time in ICU is limited, in most cases to 24 hours after cardiac surgery. Also, we did not include family members' anxiety and depression levels due to the time constraints during visiting hours.