Development and Implementation of a Clinical Pathway for Care of Cardiac Surgical Patients

Standardization of care is essential for improving cardiac surgery outcome and it is beneficial for patients, professionals and hospitals. Clinical pathway is a standardized protocol for management of patients who undergo cardiac surgery. Objective To evaluate the effect of a clinical pathway implementation on patient outcomes. Methods Quasi-experimental research design was conducted in the Sudan Heart Center and Ahmed Qasim Hospital at Khartoum state-Sudan. A convenience sample of 90 adult cardiac surgical patients was divided into two groups (preclinical pathway and pathway groups). Data collection took approximately 11 months (between 20-March-2016 and 28-February-2017). Designed clinical pathway was implemented after a training course was given to the health care professionals. Results After implementation of a clinical pathway, the patient outcomes were improved as indicated by significant reduction in decrease duration on mechanical ventilator (p=0.027), early extubation (p=0.028), length of ICU stay (p=0.048), decease length of stay (p=0.043), improvement in patients satisfaction (p=0.025), and decrease invasive device duration (endotracheal tube, arterial line, and central venous catheter were p=0.028, p=0.025, and p=0.016 respectively), while investigations, complication, chest tube and Foleys catheter were insignificant different among patient groups were all pgreater than0.05. Conclusion Clinical pathway for care of cardiac surgical patients had a positive impact on an improved patient outcomes.