Date of Award

Spring 1981

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

Abstract

Teaching the cardiac patient is an important aspect of nursing care. As an adult, the cardiac patient has specific learning behaviors and content needs. Assessing learning needs as well as psychological readiness can provide a basis for responding appropriately and effectively with cardiac patients. The decisions of when and what to teach, and how to approach the teaching role are the important outcomes of assessment. Maslow's hierachy [sic] of needs lends an interesting view to readiness for learning in the patient hospitalized for myocardial infarction. The patient as well as his family is survival oriented while the patient is critically ill. He is concerned with his immediate needs for safety and comfort. Yet, more often than not, teaching is started early in hospitalization to insure that all content is covered without proper assessment of the situation. Assessment is the first step in developing, planning and implementing an individualized cardiac patient education program. This paper deals with the assessment of experiential and cognitive readiness for learning the management of cardiac disease following a myocardial infarction.

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