Preoperative patient education for open-heart patients: A source of anxiety?

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of preoperative patient education on anxiety and recovery of the Lebanese patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted at a large hospital in Beirut, which is a university hospital. All patients who were admitted to the cardiac surgery unit and who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to as experimental or a control group. The patients in the experimental group ( n = 57) received a special educational session on their admission day and had a tour of the cardiac surgery unit. The control group ( n = 53) followed the routine hospital protocol, which encompassed almost no preoperative education or a tour. Anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory while recovery was measured by physiological outcomes, days of hospital stay, and presence of complications. A Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was performed with adjustment for potential confounding variables. Results Borderline statistical significance was noted for the experimental group in terms of preoperative and postoperative anxiety. The experimental group had a shorter time from awakening to extubation. Conclusion Unlike most studies published previously, which noted the benefits of preoperative patient education, this study with the Lebanese clients, failed to support earlier findings. Practice implications The results suggest that patient education should not be initiated before assessing the patient's cultural and social background.