Performance-Improvement Project: Increasing Nursing Knowledge of the Impact of Sugammadex in Female Patients Taking Steroidal Contraceptives.

PURPOSE: This process-improvement project improved postoperative education for female patients by facilitating the development of a topic-specific education program to improve knowledge and confidence among perianesthesia nurses in a military treatment facility.

DESIGN: An educational program was developed and presented which reviewed the impact sugammadex has on steroidal contraceptive efficacy, evidence-based postoperative teaching strategies, and specific patient education recommendations for female sugammadex-exposed patients taking steroidal contraceptives.

METHODS: Effectiveness was measured by comparing nurses' baseline knowledge and confidence scores before and immediately after presentation of the educational program. These results were then compared with 2-week reassessments to determine if lasting improvements were achieved.

FINDINGS: Statistically significant increases in knowledge and confidence were achieved upon both postintervention assessments.

CONCLUSIONS: Interactive evidence-based educational interventions can effectively create sustained increases in knowledge and confidence among health care professionals which translates into improved postoperative patient education.