Patient understanding of a teaching manual on cardiac catheterization

A representative sample of 30 patients completed the study. Statistical analysis was such that five of six hypotheses were supported. The sixth hypothesis was not tested because of decreased sample size. Statistical analysis supported the conclusion that, in this particular study, patients learned from the teaching materials regardless of age, education, or time under a physician's care for the cardiac disorder. One of the major limitations of this study was the inability to test for an increase in patient knowledge without the use of the manual. A suggestion for further research could be the conduct of a comparison study between pretest and posttest scores of patients who used the manual and those who received the hospital's routine precatheterization care. The implications for nursing in this study were addressed at length in the introduction and review of the literature. The major advantage of a usable teaching manual is its efficiency in teaching a large number of patients in a shorter period of time. Print decreases time requirements and is more efficient than oral language, except for those who have difficulty reading. The reader can control the speed at which the material is read and comprehended. It is important to remember, however, that although written materials are helpful in patient teaching, they are not a substitute for patient-nurse contact. According to Redman , the materials do not in and of themselves allow patient responses or consider the patient's subjective feelings regarding the procedure. They do provide standardized information, an important aid that serves to increase the efficiency of the staff nurse in patient care and teaching. The researcher concedes that further investigation is necessary to provide adequate validity and reliability of the materials. Tested teaching materials in the hands of concerned health professionals can produce a more knowledgeable and cooperative patient and improve staff efficiency.