Determination of post-discharge learning needs of patients undergone coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Aim of this study was to determine post discharge learning needs of patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) for the first time, and whether these needs change according to the patients? identifier characteristics.This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study. The study was conducted on patients in Cardio Vascular Surgery Clinic of İnönü University Turgut Özal Medical Center between dates March 1, -August 31, 2010. The sample consisted of 80 patients who had undergone CABG for the first time. Data were collected using by Patient Information Form and the Patient Learning Needs Scale (PLNS).The most of the patients was married (88,8%), male (80,0%), and in 45-64 age group (72.5%). The mean total score learning needs of patients was 183.48±23.36, with an importance level of 3.66 were found to be very important level. Tthe most important learning need of patients was the life activities (37.60±4.93, importance level 4.93) and the least important learning need was the emotions related to the situations (12.66±4.04, importance level 2.53). It was found that total scale mean scores of the learning needs female patients (195.68± 20.69) were the higher than in men (180.43±23.13), more in housewives (196.46± 21.17) than other job groups, and those who didn?t received discharging education (189.08± 21.47) the higher than those who received discharging education (175.51±23.93), and patients who had received the discharging education from the doctor (182.68± 23,46) the higher than those who received from both the physician and nurse (159.25±17.93), and differences between mean scores were statistically significant (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.05, respectively).Results of this study showed that the learning needs of patients who had undergone CABG surgery was importance level, discharge education decreased the learning needs, and but the nurses didn?t take active role for discharging education of patients. It is suggested that the planed discharge education should be made according to individual characteristics and learning needs of the patients.Key Words: Coronary Artery Bypass Graft operation, Discharging, Learning Needs, Patients, Nursing.