Postcardiac catheterization time-in-bed study: enhancing patient comfort through nursing research

Cardiac catheterization has become a routine diagnostic procedure. Little has been written about standards for nursing care related to bed rest postcatheterization. The purpose of this experimental study was to determine whether there was a significant difference in incidence of bleeding from catheter insertion site between those patients who remained in bed for 12 hours and those who remained in bed for 6 hours post-procedure. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Postprocedure bed rest was reduced from 12 to 6 hours in this tertiary care medical center. Decreasing time in bed reduced cost and patient discomfort.