Teach-Back-Based Incentive Spirometry Training

NCT07730684 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: E-76261397-050.04-733998
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery may experience difficulty performing breathing exercises after surgery, which can increase the risk of respiratory complications. Incentive spirometry is a breathing exercise technique commonly used to support lung function; however, patients may not always perform this exercise correctly or frequently enough. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a structured incentive spirometry education program based on the teach-back method on patients' ability to perform the exercise correctly and their frequency of use after cardiac surgery. This randomized controlled study will include 60 patients admitted for elective cardiac surgery at a university hospital in Türkiye. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a routine care group or an intervention group. Patients in the intervention group will receive structured incentive spirometry education using the teach-back method in addition to routine care, while the control group will receive routine care only. The ability to perform incentive spirometry correctly and the frequency of exercise use will be evaluated. The findings of this study may provide information about effective education strategies to improve postoperative breathing exercise practices in cardiac surgery patients.

Conditions

Cardiac Surgery Patients; Breathing Exercises

Keywords

teach back; patient education; Incentive spirometry

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Correct Incentive Spirometry Performance

  Correct incentive spirometry performance will be evaluated using an 11-item Incentive Spirometry Performance Checklist. Each item is scored on a 3-point scale (1 = not performed, 2 = partially performed, 3 = correctly performed), with total scores ranging from 11 to 33. Higher scores indicate better performance.

  Before the training intervention, immediately after the training intervention, and on postoperative Day 4.

• Frequency of Incentive Spirometry Use

  Incentive spirometry use frequency will be assessed by recording the number of incentive spirometry exercises performed per hour during the postoperative period. The average number of incentive spirometry uses per recorded hour will be calculated.

  Postoperative Days 4-5

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Daily Inspiratory Performance

  Postoperative Days 4 and 5.

• Reasons for Not Performing Incentive Spirometry Exercises

  Postoperative Days 4 and 5

Study Arms (2)

Control Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will receive routine postoperative care according to standard clinical practice.

Other: routine care

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the intervention group will receive structured incentive spirometry education based on the teach-back method in addition to routine postoperative care.

Behavioral: Structured Teach-Back-Based Incentive Spirometry Training

Interventions

routine care OTHER

Participants will receive routine care without additional structured incentive spirometry education based on the teach-back method.

Control Group

Structured Teach-Back-Based Incentive Spirometry Training BEHAVIORAL

A structured teach-back-based incentive spirometry training program will be provided to patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The education aims to improve patients' ability to perform incentive spirometry correctly and increase the frequency of incentive spirometry use after surgery.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18 years and older.
• Scheduled to undergo first-time elective open-heart surgery.
• Hospitalized for at least 24 hours before surgery.
• Able to read and understand Turkish.
• Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) score ≥24.

You may not qualify if:

• Chronic respiratory disease.
• Visual impairment that could interfere with incentive spirometry use.
• Hearing impairment that could interfere with education or assessment.
• Remaining in the intensive care unit on postoperative Days 4 and 5.
• Postoperative disorientation during the ward stay.
• No use of the incentive spirometer during the postoperative period.
• Withdrawal of consent or unwillingness to continue participation after enrollment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Aydin Adnan Menderes University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Aydın Adnan Menderes University

Aydin, Aydın, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group receiving structured incentive spirometry education based on the teach-back method or the control group receiving routine care.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 23, 2026
• First Posted: July 28, 2026
• Study Start: May 30, 2025
• Primary Completion: February 15, 2026
• Study Completion: February 15, 2026
• Last Updated: July 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)