Designing and validating a patient education model for cardiovascular patients: protocol for a multilevel mixed-method study.

introductionPatient education is an integral component of advanced nursing care. However, current educational practice approaches exhibit numerous deficiencies and have not yielded favourable outcomes. The models used for educating patients with cardiovascular conditions lack specificity for these patients, and each addresses only a particular aspect of patient education. Consequently, this study aims to describe the process of designing and validating a patient education model for the cardiovascular community. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will employ a multilevel mixed design, encompassing 'evidence analysis and context explanation' and 'validity testing'. The linking phase, namely, model design, will connect the two phases by building a preliminary model based on findings from the first phase. The evidence analysis and context explanation phase will involve three key steps. First, a scoping review will identify existing patient education processes and frameworks through a comprehensive literature search that includes qualitative and quantitative studies, review articles, mixed-methods research and developmental studies. This review aims to map existing evidence and provide an overview of current constructs in patient education, such as models, theories, frameworks, protocols and methods. Second, stakeholder experience elucidation will use conventional content analysis to explore stakeholders' experiences, including nurses, patient education managers, physicians, patients and their families regarding current patient education practices. Third, situational analysis will evaluate human resources by assessing the performance of nurses and physicians in delivering patient education while also analysing non-human resources by examining the physical space and materials for patient education, evaluating current educational content and assessing educational outcomes. In the linking phase (model design), data collected during Phase One will be integrated to create an initial construct derived from the scoping review. This construct will be refined through content analysis and clarified using situational analysis data. The third phase (model validation) will focus on internal and external validation. For internal validation, a Delphi study will achieve expert consensus on the proposed model, involving specialists engaged in patient education who will evaluate its elements. For external validation, the model will undergo pilot testing in clinical settings to assess its utility by measuring outcomes for cardiac patients, such as self-care, quality of life, patient education satisfaction and treatment adherence. After the validation process, the final patient education model will be reviewed and finalised based on insights gained during both study phases. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Regional Ethics Committee at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (IR.TBZMED.REC.1402.670). Dissemination will be achieved by publishing findings and depositing data in a publicly accessible repository to ensure transparency and facilitate future research.