The purpose of this descriptive comparative study was (1) to understand patients' perceptions of health problems and nursing instruction needs among discharged patients, and (2) to analyze the relative factors of demographic characteristics between patients' perceptions of health problems and nursing instruction needs among discharged patients. The subjects were 123 hopitalization patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and accepted nursing instructions for discharge from 2 cardiovascular surgery wards in a medical center. All of the subjects were interviewed by the researchers via telephone. They were called in the 1st week and 1st month after discharge. The results included: (1) ranking order of patients' perceptions of health problems in the 1st week after discharge were sleep disturbance, sternalotomy wound, symptoms of gastrointestinal disturbance, symptoms of cardiovascular, system symptoms of respiratory system, wound of leg incision, and activity diturbance. These problems were significantly decreased during the first after month discharge (p<.001); (2)following order sof subjects' nursing instruction needs in the 1st week after discharge were wound mangement , postoperative progrsss, instructing about activities, emotional support, diet information, and explaining medication. These nursing instruction needs were significantly decreased at the second calls (p<.05); (3)the number of patients' perceived health problems in the 1st week after discharge without a caregiver exhibited significant increased than those with a caregiver in the 1st week after discharge (t=-2.2, p<.05). Therefore, members of the multidisciplinary health care team should modify nursing instructions before discharge. (Tzu Chi Nursing Journal, 2004; 3:1, 61-71.)
The purpose of this descriptive comparative study was (1) to understand patients' perceptions of health problems and nursing instruction needs among discharged patients, and (2) to analyze the relative factors of demographic characteristics between patients' perceptions of health problems and nursing instruction needs among discharged patients. The subjects were 123 hopitalization patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and accepted nursing instructions for discharge from 2 cardiovascular surgery wards in a medical center. All of the subjects were interviewed by the researchers via telephone. They were called in the 1st week and 1st month after discharge. The results included: (1) ranking order of patients' perceptions of health problems in the 1st week after discharge were sleep disturbance, sternalotomy wound, symptoms of gastrointestinal disturbance, symptoms of cardiovascular, system symptoms of respiratory system, wound of leg incision, and activity diturbance. These problems were significantly decreased during the first after month discharge (p<.001); (2)following order sof subjects' nursing instruction needs in the 1st week after discharge were wound mangement , postoperative progrsss, instructing about activities, emotional support, diet information, and explaining medication. These nursing instruction needs were significantly decreased at the second calls (p<.05); (3)the number of patients' perceived health problems in the 1st week after discharge without a caregiver exhibited significant increased than those with a caregiver in the 1st week after discharge (t=-2.2, p<.05). Therefore, members of the multidisciplinary health care team should modify nursing instructions before discharge. (Tzu Chi Nursing Journal, 2004; 3:1, 61-71.)