Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Project – Full Written
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Committee Chair
Melissa McNeilly
Abstract
Background: Timely extubation following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is associated with improved patient outcomes. In a rural six-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) in North Carolina, extubation times were previously reported at approximately 15 hours. A lack of a standardized nurse-driven process and inconsistent familiarity with extubation readiness criteria contributed to variation in practice.
Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to implement and evaluate an educational intervention using a nurse-driven extubation checklist to improve nurses' knowledge, confidence, communication, and role clarity related to post-CABG extubation readiness in the CVICU.
Methods: The staff education on evidence-based early extubation practices, review of extubation readiness and safety criteria, introduction to a nurse-driven extubation checklist, and a group-based case scenario to reinforce checklist application. A pre- and post-intervention design was used. All 13 participants completed both surveys, resulting in a 100% response rate with no missing data.
Results: Findings indicated variability in nurse confidence and familiarity with checklist-guided extubation, and using the checklist in real-time clinical situations. Improved nurse knowledge of extubation readiness criteria, increased confidence in checklist use, enhanced communication with the interdisciplinary team, and strengthened role clarity in the extubation process was determined.
Conclusion: Improvement of nurse confidence, standardized extubation readiness assessment, and supported stronger interdisciplinary communication related to post-CABG extubation. Future evaluation should include patient-level clinical outcomes such as time to extubation, percentage of patients extubated within STS benchmarks, and reintubation rates.
Recommended Citation
Scott, Christy, "Improving Timeliness of Extubation Post-CABG: An Educational Intervention Utilizing a Nurse-Driven Checklist" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 166.
https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/nursing-dnp/166
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