Preoperative informational needs of cardiac surgical patients

Abstract

Although cardiac surgery contributes to an overall improvement in the quality of life for many individuals, the surgery itself can be a significant stressor with a potential for resulting anxiety, pain, postoperative complications, and extended hospital stay. One way to facilitate coping with stressors such as cardiac surgery is through the use of psychoeducational interventions that include health-related information, psychosocial support, and teaching of self care skills. Research has demonstrated that effective preoperative information reduces pain levels, as well as stress and anxiety levels, which can have a detrimental effect on postoperative recovery. This led the student researcher to carry out a small-scale exploratory study to explore the preoperative informational needs of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The convenience sample consisted of 10 Maltese individuals attending the Out-Patients Department of a general hospital in Malta, for their first follow-up visit with their cardiac surgeon, about six weeks after having undergone elective cardiac surgery at the same hospital. Qualitative data was collected through face-to-face interviews, which were tape-recorded. These interviews were later transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.