[Written information: evaluation of an informative leaflet for patients undergoing colonoscopy]

Client teaching and information on medical procedures and care organisation is recognised as one of the most important tasks for the nurse. The information must be complete, detailed, and personalized according to the client culture and learning capacity. To address these points, an information booklet has been designed to inform clients undergoing colonoscopy in the gastroenterology unit of Azienda Ospedaliera Careggi, Florence. The booklet, together with a multiple choice questionnaire aimed at evaluating clients' satisfaction with the information provided, was distributed to 100 clients undergoing a colonoscopy over a two-month period in 1998. The results of the survey suggest that the booklet has been instrumental in client learning about the procedure, as shown by the high positive satisfaction response provided to the questionnaire. Moreover, contents provided are clear and easy to understand. Clients would like to have specifically detailed information on the way the exam is performed, on its duration (22%) and on the disinfection procedures (21%). At present, all the patients booked for colonoscopy receive the booklet in their homes.