CVAD Homecare Management: Investigating the Use of a Digital Education Tool During Nurse-Delivered Instruction to Parents for New Central Lines in Children With Cancer.

BACKGROUND

Research on parent understanding of homecare management of external central venous access devices (CVADs) for children with cancer is limited.

OBJECTIVES

The goal was to investigate whether the use of a DVD education intervention reduced adverse complications and improved parent education for homecare management of CVADs for pediatric patients with cancer.

METHODS

Participants were randomized to an experimental group (DVD and nurse teaching) or a control group (nurse teaching). Postintervention evaluation included parent satisfaction and CVAD knowledge proficiency, blood infection rates, use of alteplase, and CVAD replacement.

FINDINGS: Fifty-four enrolled caregiver-patient dyads completed the study measures, with 21 dyads assigned to the control group and 33 assigned to the experimental group. Alteplase was ordered significantly less often in the experimental group. No other findings were significant.