title: [Non-verbal communication of patients submitted to heart surgery: from awaking after anesthesia to extubation].
abstract: Preoperative orientation is an essential tool for patient's communication after surgery. This study had the objective of evaluating non-verbal communication of patients submitted to cardiac surgery from the time of awaking from anesthesia until extubation, after having received preoperative orientation by nurses. A quantitative cross-sectional study was developed in a reference hospital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from March to July 2006. Data were collected in the pre and post operative periods. A questionnaire to evaluate non-verbal communication on awaking from sedation was applied to a sample of 100 patients. Statistical analysis included Student, Wilcoxon, and Mann Whittney tests. Most of the patients responded satisfactorily to non-verbal communication strategies as instructed on the preoperative orientation. Thus, non-verbal communication based on preoperative orientation was helpful during the awaking period.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Terapia Intensiva Cardiológico do Hospital São Vicente de Paulo de Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sueli da Cruz
authors.initials: Sda C
authors.lastname: Werlang
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azzolin
authors.forename: Maria Antonieta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.forename: Emiliane Nogueira
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: de Souza