Adherence to risk-factor instructions one year following coronary artery bypass surgery.

A convenience sample (n = 60) of two comparable groups of cardiac bypass patients was studied to assess the effectiveness of a structured teaching guide used by nurses in educating patients and families about normal postoperative recovery and risk-factor modification. One group was educated by an unstructured method, and the other group received structured teaching with the use of a written guide developed by nurses experienced in open-heart recovery. Both groups had higher total knowledge scores postoperatively than preoperatively. To assess whether the type of teaching had affected changes in behavior, a six-week postoperative health interview was conducted, and a follow-up questionnaire was mailed at one year.