Educating the cardiac surgery patient and family

Preoperative, discharge, and follow-up instruction of cardiac surgical patients is considered essential to the recovery of these patients. However, increasing patient acuity and decreasing length of stay compromise patient learning ability and minimize the time available for teaching. This article reviews the research on preoperative, discharge, and postdischarge instruction. Suggestions for application in the clinical setting are based on experience from Brigham and Women's Hospital. Detailed strategies for improving learning are discussed.