What do cardiovascular nurses know about the hematological management of patients with Eisenmenger syndrome?

Aim: We investigated the level of knowledge of hematological management of patients with Eisenmenger syndrome among general cardiovascular nurses and nurses who specialize in congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: We conducted a survey at two international conferences attended by cardiovascular nurses. Nurses were asked to complete a questionnaire comprising two questions and three clinical case scenarios. Overall, 89 nurses participated (response rate 90.8%), 43 of whom specialized in CHD. Results: The level of knowledge displayed among cardiovascular nurses is poor. About one-third of nurses not specialized in CHD recognized the definition of Eisenmenger syndrome and knew what normal hematocrit levels are. With respect to the cases presented, less than 10% of the nurses could give a correct answer. The level of knowledge of specialized nurses was significantly higher, but also here, important gaps in the level of knowledge could be observed. Less than two-thirds knew the reference values of hematocrit and knew the appropriate management in two cases. Less than half of the specialized nurses knew about the procedure of isovolumic phlebotomy. Conclusion: The level of knowledge displayed by cardiovascular nurses regarding the hematological management of patients with Eisenmenger syndrome is poor. Also the knowledge of nurses specialized in CHD could be improved. (C) 2009 European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.