Effectiveness of nurse-led warfarin educational programme on knowledge and compliance for patients newly commenced on warfarin therapy

Introduction: An effective warfarin educational programme is needed in view of the recent increase in warfarin prescriptions and adverse drug events. Due to the obvious risks of anticoagulants administration, evaluating patients’ awareness seems to be crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led warfarin education program on knowledge and compliance among patients newly commenced on warfarin therapy. Methods: This study utilised the one-group pre/post-test quasi-experimental approach. A total of 64 stable patients who recently started their prescriptions on warfarin for less than six months were recruited via purposive sampling at a tertiary hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The nurse-led intervention consisted of structured warfarin education. Data collection using Anticoagulation Knowledge Assessment and Morisky Medication Adherence Scale to measure knowledge and compliance with warfarin therapy. Results: The mean (SD) knowledge score was 42.58 (13.18) before intervention and increased to 68.91 (17.10) after warfarin educational intervention, while the mean (SD) compliance score was 3.78 (1.76) and decreased to 3.39 (1.51) after intervention. It shows that patients’ knowledge and compliance with warfarin therapy have also improved. There was a significant association between knowledge and compliance variables (P < .001) after intervention. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that a nurse-led warfarin educational program could effectively increase patients’ anticoagulation knowledge and also improve their adherence to warfarin therapy. Hence, the study suggests implementing this intervention among a larger sample and poorly literate patients as a way to help them and increase the tendency to prevent warfarin complications.

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