Patient experiences of colon capsule endoscopy:a qualitative study

Key Takeaways for GI Nurses

• Understanding patient experiences with colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) provides valuable insights for improving patient education, preparation protocols, and overall care delivery in GI units offering this technology
• Qualitative patient feedback can inform nursing practice by identifying specific patient concerns, comfort levels, and educational needs unique to capsule endoscopy compared to traditional colonoscopy
• Patient-reported experiences help nurses develop more effective pre-procedure counseling strategies and realistic expectation setting for CCE candidates
• Real-world patient perspectives can guide quality improvement initiatives and help standardize nursing protocols for CCE preparation, monitoring, and follow-up care

Clinical Relevance

As colon capsule endoscopy becomes increasingly integrated into GI practice, understanding the patient experience becomes crucial for endoscopy nurses who play a central role in patient preparation, education, and support. This qualitative research provides evidence-based insights that can directly inform nursing protocols and patient communication strategies. Unlike quantitative studies that focus on clinical outcomes, qualitative research captures the nuanced patient perspective that nurses encounter daily in their practice.

The findings from this study can help GI nurses anticipate common patient concerns, develop more targeted educational materials, and refine their approach to pre-procedure counseling. Since CCE represents a different patient experience compared to traditional endoscopic procedures, nurses need specific knowledge about patient expectations, anxieties, and practical challenges to provide optimal care. This research can also inform unit-level quality improvement initiatives, helping to standardize nursing assessments and interventions specific to CCE patients.

For endoscopy units implementing or expanding CCE services, this research provides valuable guidance for developing nursing competencies and patient care pathways. Understanding patient experiences helps nurses advocate more effectively for their patients and contributes to improved patient satisfaction scores and clinical outcomes in CCE programs.

Bottom Line

This qualitative study offers GI nurses evidence-based insights into patient experiences with colon capsule endoscopy, providing essential information for developing more effective patient education strategies, refining preparation protocols, and improving overall nursing care delivery for this emerging endoscopic technology in clinical practice.