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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00178009

Developing and Assessing Competencies for Caregivers and Patients With Ventricular Assist Devices

Discharge to the community is increasingly becoming a priority for patients implanted with a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD). Because VADs are complex, patients and caregivers often fear leaving the hospital, although their status does not require hospitalization. This project includes development of CD/video and web-based instructional programs on management of the VAD controller for patients and their caregivers (formal and informal). A clinical trial will be used to examine discharge rates and placements following patients educated under usual care vs. self-pace CD/video conditions.

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Key information

Conditions

Congestive Heart Failure Cardiovascular Diseases Heart Diseases Heart Failure

Age range

18 year–95 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

About this study

Discharge to the community is increasingly becoming a priority for patients implanted with a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD). The current study is designed to develop an Artificial Heart Continuity of Care Competency Program (AHC3P) to ensure the safety and feasibility of their return to the community. This program will identify and delineate the step-by-step procedures required to care for a patient's ventricular assist device (VAD) on a daily basis, or during an emergency. These step-by-step procedures will be will be used to develop a self-paced learning CD/video program for patients and caregivers and competencies. The same competencies will also be used by the Artificial Heart Program team to assess caregiver skills, and provide direct feedback on steps that need revision or more in-depth instruction. Subjects will be recruited in four phases. Training for all four phases will be conducted by members of the AHP team. During Phase I, VAD recipients will be videotaped while undergoing the current Artificial Heart Program (AHP) training. During Phase II, VAD recipients and their caregivers will be recruited as the control group and will also undergo the current AHP training. Phase III will involve patients and their informal caregivers undergoing the AHC3P and will serve as the experimental group. Data regarding the self-efficacy of the trainees and the length of time and the number of trials required to achieve competency with the AHC3P will be compared to the training program currently in place. During the fourth phase, health care professionals from UPMC will be recruited to undergo the AHC3P training. Data regarding their self-efficacy prior to and after the training program will be compared.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Patient and Caregiver Phase: The inclusion criteria are: (1) patients implanted with a VAD and identified by a member of the AHP team to undergo training prior to discharge (2) informal caregiver of a patient implanted with a VAD and identified by a member of the AHP team to undergo training (3) are between 18 to 95 years of age. No exclusion criteria shall be based on race, ethnicity, gender, or HIV status.

Health Professional Phase: The inclusion criteria are: (1) A licensed health-care professional (2) currently employed at UPMC No exclusion criteria shall be based on race, ethnicity, gender, or HIV status.

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Exclusion criteria

-

Treatment and study plan

self-paced instruction

Behavioral

Patients and caregivers review a DVD as often as they wish on how to care for routine and emergency procedures associated with their artificial heart

Primary outcomes

  1. Patient and caregiver competency scores

    Time frame: Upon discharge

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time and number of trials to competency for patients and caregivers.

    Time frame: Upon discharge

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pittsburgh

Other

Collaborators

  • The Greg Beckwith Foundation

Registry information

Official study title

Developing and Assessing Competencies for Patients, Caregivers and Health Professionals for the Care of Patients Implanted With Ventricular Assist Devices

Important dates

Study start
2006
Primary completion
2008
Study completion
2008
First posted
Sep 15, 2005
Registry last updated
Feb 21, 2011

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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