Effects of mailed preoperative instructions on learning and anxiety

This study sought to contrast mailing a booklet to accomplish preoperative instruction with teaching performed by nurses after hospital admission. Sixty-six patients were studied in a 700-bed medical center and were assigned to three teaching groups and a control group which did not receive teaching. The researcher compared the four groups preoperatively after admission to determine the patients' knowledge and ability to perform surgical exercises, as well as their anxiety levels. Findings were that patients who received a booklet by mail preadmission learned surgical exercises equally well compared to patients taught postadmission, and mastered significantly more exercise behaviors than those receiving no instruction. No statistical difference in anxiety level was found among groups. One may infer that mailing preadmission material should be considered as an effective teaching mode and alternative to postadmission instruction.