Purpose
This study was conducted to investigate the educational needs of parents of infants and toddlers with congenital heart disease (CHD) after hospital discharge.
Methods
Qualitative content analysis was conducted of in-depth interviews of eight parents, and the results of an online survey of 171 parents were analyzed quantitatively.
Results
Only 16.4% of parents reported that they had received education after hospital discharge on how to provide care for a child with CHD at home. The main reason why parents did not receive education on this topic was that they did not have sufficient opportunities or information (75.5%). In addition, 97.1% of parents stated that they needed educational programs that would be available at home after discharge. In terms of specific educational content, parents expressed the highest needs for education on the symptoms of CHD and ways to cope with them, the prognosis of CHD, and the growth and development of infants and toddlers with CHD.
Conclusion
The study showed that parents’ educational needs were high in many ways. However, the information and educational opportunities offered after discharge were insufficient compared to those needs. Further research is needed to develop post-hospital educational programs that meet their needs.

Citations

• The effects of a hospital-to-home care transition program on perceived stress and readiness for hospital discharge in mothers of children with congenital heart disease undergoing corrective surgery
  Zohre Komijani, Meimanat Hosseini, Malihe Nasiri, Parvaneh Vasli
  Journal of Pediatric Nursing.2024; 78: e66.     CrossRef
• The Children’s National Hospital Outcomes Registry: a plea for a benchmarking tool that provides longitudinal outcomes for patients and families
  Alyssia Venna, Mitchell Haverty, Janet Kreutzer, Rittal Mehta, Alix Fetch, Aybala Tongut, Manan Desai, Can Yerebakan, Yves d’Udekem
  Cardiology in the Young.2024; 34(8): 1619.     CrossRef
• Needs for Discharge Education of Family Caregivers of Pediatric Patients: An Integrative Review
  Hyunjie Lee, Seung Eun Lee, Sang Hwa Lee
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursi.2023; 30(2): 137.     CrossRef

Purpose
We aimed to identify factors influencing physical activity in adolescents with complex congenital heart disease.
Methods
We recruited 92 adolescents with complex congenital heart disease from a tertiary medical center in Seoul, measured their levels of physical activity, and identified factors that influenced their physical activity levels using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, the New York Heart Association classification, congenital heart disease complexity, the Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Parental Bonding Instrument scale. Stepwise multiple linear regression was used to determine factors influencing physical activity.
Results
Total physical activity was higher in males than in females (t=4.46, p<.001). Adolescents who participated in school physical education classes engaged in more physical activity than those who did not (t=6.77, p<.001). Higher self-efficacy (β=.41, p<.001), male gender (β=.37, p<.001) and participation in school physical education classes (β=.19, p=.042) were associated with a higher likelihood of engagement in physical activity.
Conclusion
It is necessary to develop nursing interventions that enhance self-efficacy in order to promote physical activity in adolescents with complex congenital heart disease. Physical activity should also be promoted in an individualized manner, taking into account gender, disease severity, and parental attitude.

Citations

• Children With Congenital Heart Disease and the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines: A Scoping Review
  Matthew S. Chapelski, Megan Tomyn, Kristina Sobolewski, Amanda Froehlich Chow, Leah J. Ferguson, Charissa Pockett, Corey R. Tomczak, Marta C. Erlandson
  CJC Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease.2025; 4(1): 34.     CrossRef
• Understanding the barriers and facilitators that impact physical activity levels in children and adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD): a rapid review
  Alyssia Venna, Yves d’Udekem, Sabrina Figueiredo
  BMC Public Health.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• One-year postintervention health-related physical fitness and quality of life among children and grown-up with congenital heart disease: An analysis from a tertiary cardiac care hospital, India
  Malabika Maity, Sitaraman Radhakrishnan, Sushil Azad, Ankit Garg, Samir Bhatia, Mudasir Ahmed, Soumit Roy
  Annals of Pediatric Cardiology.2025; 18(3): 194.     CrossRef
• Early hybrid cardiac rehabilitation in congenital heart disease: the QUALIREHAB trial
  Pascal Amedro, Arthur Gavotto, Helena Huguet, Luc Souilla, Anne-Cecile Huby, Stefan Matecki, Anne Cadene, Gregoire De La Villeon, Marie Vincenti, Oscar Werner, Charlene Bredy, Kathleen Lavastre, Hamouda Abassi, Sarah Cohen, Sebastien Hascoet, Claire Dauph
  European Heart Journal.2024; 45(16): 1458.     CrossRef
• Physical Activity and Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Defects: A Scoping Review
  Amanda Clifton, Neva Kirk-Sanchez, Gerson Cipriano, James G. Moore, Lawrence P. Cahalin
  Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease.2024; 11(10): 309.     CrossRef
• Physical Activity Promotion Among Individuals With Tetralogy of Fallot
  Mackenzie Buchanan, Christopher Spence, Michelle Keir, Michael Khoury
  CJC Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease.2023; 2(6): 322.     CrossRef
• The discovery of a data-driven causal diagram of sport participation in children and adolescents with heart disease: a pilot study
  Jakub S. Gąsior, Marcel Młyńczak, Craig A. Williams, Aleksandra Popłonyk, Daria Kowalska, Paulina Giezek, Bożena Werner
  Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Physical activity modification in youth with congenital heart disease: a comprehensive narrative review
  Arend W. van Deutekom, Adam J. Lewandowski
  Pediatric Research.2021; 89(7): 1650.     CrossRef

Purpose
It is crucial to provide adequate enteral nutrition for postoperative recovery, wound healing and normal growth in infants in pediatric cardiac ICUs. This study was done to develop a feeding protocol using the vaso-active inotropic (VAI) score and to evaluate the impact of nutritional outcomes following the new feeding protocol for infants who underwent cardiac surgery.
Methods
This study consisted of three phases. First, a feeding protocol was developed based on a literature review. Second, ten experts rated the content validity. Third, a comparison study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the new feeding protocol. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.
Results
Twenty-nine infants were enrolled in the pre-protocol group, and 22 infants in the post-protocol group. Patients in the 2 groups were similar. Time to reach feeding goal was significantly decreased from 56.0 (27-210) hours to 28.5 (10-496) hours in the post-protocol group (Z=-4.22, p<.001). Level of enteral feeding knowledge among nurses increased significantly after implementation of the protocol.
Conclusion
The feeding protocol using VAI score facilitates the achievement feeding goal to decrease feeding interruptions and help nurses in their practice. Larger studies are necessary to examine clinical outcomes following the implementation of this feeding protocol.