Postoperative Care in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) Patients: Evaluating Nurses’ Knowledge Implications

Abstract

Background: Postoperative coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) care requires specialized nursing skills. Deficits in knowledge may compromise patient recovery and safety.

Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 Registered Nurses working or having worked in the Cardiac Care Unit of Sheikh Zaid Hospital, Lahore. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire assessing knowledge of pain management, vital sign monitoring, infection control, anticoagulant therapy, and respiratory care. Results: Descriptive analysis showed that 35% of nurses had high knowledge, 40% moderate, and 25% low knowledge, with the highest mean scores in patient education (M = 6.8, SD = 1.7) and infection control (M = 6.5, SD = 1.9), and the lowest in anticoagulant therapy (M = 5.6, SD = 2.3). Inferential statistics revealed that qualification was significantly associated with better knowledge in pain management (p = 0.036) and anticoagulant therapy (p = 0.015), while nurses with more than 10 years of experience showed superior knowledge in complication monitoring (p = 0.049). Conclusion: Specialized training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and continuous professional development are essential to improve postoperative CABG care and ensure quality patient outcomes.

Keywords: CABG; Postoperative care; Registered Nurses; Training; Knowledge gaps