P18 Improving education for cardiac rehabilitation nurses, in relation to heart failure management, during the cardiac rehab programme

<h3>Background</h3> Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) services within Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (UHB) identified that fewer than 4% of patients with Heart Failure (HF) accessed CR. In response, a project was initiated and rolled out to develop a responsive rehabilitation service that included prompt medication optimisation in the community. The aim of this quality improvement and educational intervention project was to improve CR nurses understanding to free specialist HF teams to focus on complex cases. <h3>Aim</h3> The project aimed to enhance the knowledge and confidence of CR nurses in managing HF patients by implementing a structured educational programme. This would enable CR nurses to optimise HF therapy during rehabilitation, improving patient care and service efficiency. <h3>Methods</h3> Over 18 months, CR nurses across four sites participated in a comprehensive HF education programme. The nurses had varied experience levels, from minimal cardiac exposure to extensive CR practice but limited HF-specific knowledge. HF nurses supported CR staff in completing British Society for Heart Failure (BSH) competencies, with training tailored to individual learning needs and goals. Pre-programme confidence polls identified knowledge gaps, guiding the development of targeted educational content and backed by BSH best practice. <h3>Results</h3> Initial assessments revealed low confidence in areas such as HF medication management and guideline application. Tailored training, monthly teaching sessions, and a local HF conference addressed these gaps. Post-programme evaluations showed improved staff confidence and knowledge (figure 1). Notably, HF therapy optimisation during the 8-week CR programme increased, reducing the previous 16-week timeline. This shift enabled HF nurses to focus on complex cases and reduced outpatient appointments. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The educational programme significantly improved CR nurses’ ability to manage HF patients, leading to faster therapy optimisation and enhanced patient care. The initiative fostered stronger collaboration between CR and HF services, promoting integrated care and better health outcomes while improving service efficiency across the ABUHB.