Appendix Summary of patient education initiatives
| Initiative | Comments |
| Information pack | Sent when patient placed on waiting list for surgery. Detailed information is given: • Preparing for your heart operation—provides information about the structure and function of the heart, different heart diseases, types of surgery, preparation for surgery, postoperative pain management and recovery, postoperative education, discharge from hospital, and rehabilitation • Inpatient information—including patients' rights regarding consent to operation |
| Presurgery preparation day | Attendance is advised, although patients who are unable to attend receive information packs. The day lasts about 4 h with a break for lunch and is run by the cardiac liaison nurse. Topics covered: • management of waiting lists • how the heart works • types of heart operation • pre- and postoperative care • discharge from hospital • Two videos are shown: Intensive care—your recovery after surgery and Life after heart surgery. |
| Preadmission clinic | The preadmission clinic is available for patients with a date for surgery. They can attend up to one month before their date of surgery. Attendance is compulsory for suitable patients. The morning component of the clinic is educational and the afternoon is spent completing tests and assessments. The clinic nurse gives patients an introductory talk on heart disease and an explanation of the operative procedure. A current patient talks about what the experience really feels like. An intensive treatment unit nurse speaks on immediate postoperative recovery, a physiotherapist speaks about postoperative mobility, and an occupational therapist speaks about resuming activities after surgery. In the afternoon patients are clerked and their consent and operative treatment obtained and documented. The clinic nurse might quote the average risk of operative complications but this information is rarely requested |
| Postoperative education | While the patient is in hospital she or he is encouraged to attend a series of ward teaching sessions held in the afternoons. They cover physiotherapy, pharmacy, diet, nursing, and occupational therapy |
| Cardiac rehabilitation | Patients are advised to attend a class six weeks after surgery covering all aspects of rehabilitation including exercise, stress reduction, etc |