title: Can nurse-led preoperative education reduce anxiety and postoperative complications of patients undergoing cardiac surgery?
abstract: The effect of preoperative education on anxiety and postoperative outcomes of cardiac surgery patients remains unclear.
  
  
  
  The aim of the study was to estimate the effectiveness of a nurse-led preoperative education on anxiety and postoperative outcomes.
  
  
  
  A randomised controlled study was designed. All the patients who were admitted for elective cardiac surgery in a general hospital in Athens with knowledge of the Greek language were eligible to take part in the study. Patients in the intervention group received preoperative education by specially trained nurses. The control group received the standard information by the ward personnel. Measurements of anxiety were conducted on admission-A, before surgery-B and before discharge-C by the state-trait anxiety inventory.
  
  
  
  The sample consisted of 395 patients (intervention group: 205, control group: 190). The state anxiety on the day before surgery decreased only in the intervention group (34.0 (8.4) versus 36.9 (10.7); P=0.001). The mean decrease in state score during the follow-up period was greater in the intervention group (P=0.001). No significant difference was found in the length of stay or readmission. Lower proportions of chest infection were found in the intervention group (10 (5.3) versus 1 (0.5); P=0.004). Multivariate linear regression revealed that education and score in trait anxiety scale on admission are independent predictors of a reduction in state anxiety.
  
  
  
  Preoperative education delivered by nurses reduced anxiety and postoperative complications of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, but it was not effective in reducing readmissions or length of stay.
authors: Faculty of Nursing, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece antonia_cal@teiath.gr.
authors: Antonia
authors: A
authors: Kalogianni
authors: Faculty of Nursing, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece.
authors: Panagiota
authors: P
authors: Almpani
authors: Intensive Care Unit of Department of Cardiac Surgery, 'Evangelismos' General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Leonidas
authors: L
authors: Vastardis
authors: Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Baltopoulos
authors: Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, 'Evangelismos', General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Charitos
authors: Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
authors: Hero
authors: H
authors: Brokalaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D057234:Preoperative Period
keywords: Preoperative patients’ education; anxiety; cardiac surgery; length of stay; postoperative complications