title: 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.
abstract: Patients and their families are understandably anxious about the risk of complications and unfamiliar experiences following cardiac surgery. Providing information about postoperative care in the intensive care unit (ICU) to patients and families may lead to lower anxiety levels, and increased satisfaction with healthcare. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative patient education provided for patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.
  
  
  
  100 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft, with or without valve replacement surgery, will be recruited into a 2-group, parallel, superiority, double-blinded randomised controlled trial. Participants will be randomised to either preoperative patient education comprising of a video and ICU tour with standard care (intervention) or standard education (control). The primary outcome measures are the satisfaction levels of patients and family members with ICU care and decision-making in the ICU. The secondary outcome measures are patient anxiety and depression levels before and after surgery.
  
  
  
  Ethical approval has been obtained from the Joint Chinese University of Hong Kong-New Territories East Cluster Clinical Research Ethics Committee (reference number CREC 2015.308). The findings will be presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Study participants will receive a 1-page plain language summary of results.
  
  
  
  ChiCTR-IOR-15006971.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Veronica Ka Wai
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3593-9141
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2864-0045
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Chun Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ka Man
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Charles David
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gomersall
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Malcolm John
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Underwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Gavin Matthew
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5823-3435
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Joynt
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D003657:Decision Making; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011182:Postoperative Care; D057234:Preoperative Period; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control