[The effect of preoperative teaching on the emotional attitude of patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery]

It appears that the emotions of patients in the process of undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery have an influence on the rate of mortality. The purpose of this study is to determine if the life-style functioning of the patients can be improved by means of a pre-operative rehabilitative educational programme introduced by the professional nurse. A conceptual framework of reference was compiled after completion of the literature review. This served as the preliminary structure of the pre-operative educational programme. The programme consists of three components, viz. an educational booklet, an educational evaluating model and the educationist. A quasi-experimental study was performed on 4 groups (2 experimental groups and 2 control groups) to determine the effect of the structured pre-operative educational programme on the following three factors: satisfaction with self, others and life; safe-guarding hope and anticipation of a future. An analysis of the data indicated a significant difference between the groups that followed the programme and the groups that did not follow the programme. The primary recommendation of the study is that all patients in the process of undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery should follow a pre-operative educational programme. This programme has a positive influence on the life-style functioning of the patient and will thus promote the process of rehabilitation.