Effect of educational interventions on inpatient bowel preparation: A systematic review

Abstract

Colonoscopy is effective in screening for colorectal cancer and diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease. However, the efficacy of colonoscopy is highly dependent on the quality of bowel preparation. Inadequate bowel preparation may result in incomplete colonoscopy, increasing the patient's risk for missed adenomas, repeated procedures, increased cost, and adverse events. Educational interventions have been utilized to improve the quality of bowel preparation, however, a gap in the literature still exists on the most effective type of educational intervention. This literature review aims to examine research studies on the effect of various educational interventions in improving the quality of bowel preparation for inpatients undergoing colonoscopy. A database search was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis methodology. The initial search of the databases and other sources identified 92 research studies. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program for qualitative studies checklist was utilized to appraise and summarize the literature selected for final review. After screening and consideration of eligibility criteria, six studies were included in the final review. The most effective educational approach to improve the quality of inpatient bowel preparation was using a smartphone application offering text, visual images, and video for instructions, followed by utilizing an educational booklet about colonoscopy. The studies that did not involve nurses during patient education showed no significant effect.