A randomized clinical trial of nursing care for recovery from cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of a psychoeducational nursing intervention in patients who receive coronary artery bypass graft and valve repair surgery.

DESIGN: A cluster-randomized controlled trial design.

SETTING: Two hospitals in the western United States--a large community hospital with an active cardiovascular surgery practice and a health-sciences research center.

SUBJECTS: 156 patients between 25 and 75 years of age, 125 (81.1%) men, and 31 (19.9%) women, all with primary care givers.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-efficacy expectations, activities (behavior performance), quality of life, mood state.

INTERVENTION: Supplemental in-hospital education followed by telephone contact from discharge to eighth week after discharge.

RESULTS: Patients in the experimental group reported significantly greater self-efficacy expectations for walking and behavior performance for walking, lifting, climbing stairs, general exertion and, where applicable, for working.

CONCLUSION: This trial suggests that a low-intensity psychoeducational nursing intervention can promote self-efficacy expectations for walking in recovery and is associated with more self-reported walking and lifting behavior after cardiac surgery.