Determination of Self-Efficacy Levels and Learning Needs of Liver Transplant Patients

Purpose: Determining the self-efficacy levels and learning needs of liver transplant patients is imperative to facilitate optimal management of post-transplant processes. In this context, the study was conducted to determine the self-efficacy and pre-discharge learning needs of liver transplant patients. Methods: A descriptive and correlational study was conducted in the liver transplant units of a university hospital. The researchers used the Patient Introduction Form, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Patient Learning Needs Scale to collect data.Results: The mean score of the patients participating in the study was 27.84 ± 5.72 on the General Self-Efficacy Scale and 207.87 ± 36.56 on the Learning Needs Scale. The most significant learning needs for patients were related to the medication (35.08 ± 5.65) and treatment and complications (37.99 ± 6.4) subscales. A moderate positive correlation was identified between total patient learning needs and general self-efficacy scores (p < 0.05). This indicates that 13.5% of the variance in general self-efficacy score can be attributed to patient learning needs scores.Conclusions: The patients’ overall self-efficacy status was determined to be moderate, and their total learning needs were found to be above average. It was determined that as the learning needs of the patients participating in the study increased, so did their self-efficacy. In this context, it is recommended that mixed studies be planned, including qualitative stages, in order to ensure an in-depth examination of unknown aspects in studies measuring self-efficacy and learning needs.