Enhancing discharge preparation for parents after complex cardiac surgery: evaluation of an e-learning resource for nurses

Parents need to be appropriately prepared by knowledgeable healthcare professionals before going home with their infant following cardiac surgery for complex congenital heart disease (CHD). A quality improvement project was undertaken between 2018 and 2021 to equip healthcare professionals including children's cardiac nurses with the knowledge required to use the Congenital Heart Assessment Tool (CHAT) to teach parents how to monitor their infant at home. The project involved developing, implementing and evaluating an e-learning resource that included simulated scenarios captured on video. An online survey showed that users perceived the e-learning resource as having a positive effect on their understanding of complex CHD and their practice of preparing parents for discharge and home monitoring.