The Effect of the 5T Teach-Back Method on Respiratory Exercise and Incentive Spirometer Training (TEACH-BREATHE)

Suleyman Demirel University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Incentive Spirometry; Postoperative Pulmonary Complications; Respiratory Exercises; Patient Education; Atelectasis

Treatments: Behavioral: Standard Verbal Respiratory Education; Behavioral: 5T Teach-Back-Based Respiratory Exercise and Incentive Spirometer Education

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07350616

973-973-11

Details and patient eligibility

About

Breathing problems after surgery are common and can lead to serious complications such as low oxygen levels, lung collapse, or pulmonary embolism. These problems increase patient risk and place an additional burden on the healthcare system. Breathing exercises and incentive spirometer use are important methods to prevent these complications. However, many patients have difficulty understanding and correctly performing these exercises when education is limited to standard verbal instructions. This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate whether the 5T Teach-Back education method improves patients' understanding, practical skills, respiratory outcomes, and satisfaction compared with standard verbal education. The study will be conducted in a university hospital and will include 76 adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group.

Patients in the intervention group will receive preoperative breathing exercise and incentive spirometer training using the 5T Teach-Back method, which encourages patients to explain the information back in their own words and repeat the skills until they are correctly understood. Patients in the control group will receive routine verbal education provided by clinical nurses. Outcomes will be measured before surgery and again within 24-72 hours after surgery. These outcomes include patients' knowledge level, correct performance of breathing exercises and spirometer use, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, lung function test results, and patient satisfaction with nursing care. The results of this study are expected to show whether the 5T Teach-Back method is more effective than standard education in improving postoperative respiratory care and patient satisfaction. The findings may help standardize patient education practices and support nurses in delivering more effective respiratory training before surgery.

Enrollment: 76 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults aged 18 years or older
• Scheduled for abdominal surgery under general anesthesia
• Postoperative use of respiratory exercises and incentive spirometry is recommended
• Expected postoperative hospital stay of more than 3 days
• Able to read and write and able to communicate effectively
• Conscious, cooperative, and oriented
• Willing to participate voluntarily and able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Severe neurological or cognitive impairment
• Unstable vital signs or hemodynamic instability
• Anticipated or required postoperative intensive care unit admission
• Severe pain that prevents participation in education or assessments
• Visual or communication impairments that limit participation in education

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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76 participants in 2 patient groups

5T Teach-Back Education Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants receive preoperative respiratory exercise and incentive spirometer training using the 5T Teach-Back method.

Treatment:

Behavioral: 5T Teach-Back-Based Respiratory Exercise and Incentive Spirometer Education

Standard Education Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants receive routine verbal education on respiratory exercises and incentive spirometer use provided by clinical nurses.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Standard Verbal Respiratory Education