Information needs before hospital discharge of myocardial infarction patients: a comparative, descriptive study

Aims and objectives. To explore the information needs of patients who have received treatment for a myocardial infarction before their discharge home from an acute hospital. What is known about the topic. Providing information for myocardial infarction patients is an important nursing function and is part of the role of health-care professionals delivering cardiac rehabilitation. It is essential to acknowledge and incorporate the self-perceived needs of patients into the information they receive. Hospital stays are becoming shorter, reducing the opportunities for nurses to provide predischarge information to patients. This highlights the challenge of adequately assessing and meeting patients' information needs. Design. A comparative, descriptive survey. Methods. A Patient Learning Needs Scale questionnaire was completed by 20 myocardial infarction patients within 72 hours of their intended discharge. Quantitative descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results. Patients indicated how important it was to know about each of 40 information items before discharge from hospital. Items related to medications, complications and physical activities were rated highly. Responses to an open question revealed that driving, returning to work and sources of support were issues of concern. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-tests showed that retired and older patients desired more information than their employed and younger counterparts, especially concerning community support. What the study adds to the topic. Previous research shows little examination of age and employment status in relation to the information needs of myocardial infarction patients. This study suggests that older and retired people may want more information than younger and employed patients. Relevance to clinical practice. Older people are under represented in postdischarge cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Since these patients may need different information when discharged from younger individuals, nurses must decide how they can best meet their needs for information and continuing support.