Perceived learning needs according to patients who have undergone major coronary interventions and their nurses.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to identify the differences in perceived learning needs between cardiac patients who have undergone major coronary interventions and their nurses.


BACKGROUND
The decrease in length of stay after cardiac interventions has signalled an urgent need to provide effective in-hospital health education. Therefore, the content of health education should bridge the gap between nurses' and patients' views of what information is important for ensuring patients' optimum recovery.


METHODS
A descriptive comparative design was employed.


METHODS
Patients were invited to participate if they had undergone angioplasty or bypass surgery and were ready for discharge within 24-48 hours. A convenience sample of 365 cardiac patients and 166 cardiac nurses participated in this study. Baseline data on patients' and nurses' sociodemographics, clinical history and experience were collected through personal interviews. Then, participants completed the Patient Learning Needs Scale to identify their perceptions of the learning needs after cardiac interventions.


RESULTS
The top-priority learning needs according to both patients and cardiac nurses was information on wound care and medication. In contrast, the lowest-priority learning need was physical activity. Nurses perceived information about physical activity as most needed to patients, whereas patients perceived information about medications, postintervention complications and postintervention concerns as mostly needed.


CONCLUSIONS
The disparity between perceptions of patient and nurses on the essential content to be learned highlights the importance of considering both of these parties when establishing health education programmes. In addition, nurses should focus more on information related to the recovery period and immediate needs after discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Information about wound care, medication and potential complications should be the core of predischarge education programmes. In addition, nurses should focus on improve patients' awareness of secondary prevention and lifestyle modification, as patients pay less attention to these vital topics.
Department of Adult Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan.
Sultan M
SM
Mosleh
Faculty of Nursing, Zarqa University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Nidal F
NF
Eshah
Department of Maternal and Child Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Mutah University, Karak, Jordan.
Mona Ma
MM
Almalik
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000601:surgery; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods*
angioplasty; bypass surgery; coronary interventions; learning needs; nurses