Knowledge and learning needs associated with cardiac nursing for revascularized hypertensive patients in rehabilitation

Abstract

This is a qualitative case study that aimed to identify the knowledge and learning needs that hypertensive patients submitted to myocardial revascularization have about cardiac nursing. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews performed at the homes of twelve subjects. Data analysis revealed that the subjects were not aware that feeling sick, orexperiencing chest and stomach pain could mean having a heart condition. Most did not realize the risk of developing heart disease associated with the factors with which they already lived, like having high blood pressure. When they searched for explanations for their heart condition, they reported they experienced stressful situations, ate fatty foods, smoked, drank, did not exercise, did not visit their doctor regularly, and were mainly worried about work and looking after their family financially. The learning needs were associated with understanding what caused the coronary disease and hypertension and the preventive care they should follow to have good health and quality of life. The results proved that it is important that professionals use health education methods that cover the patients’ knowledge needs regarding the health-disease process and that would effectively contribute with their complying with health-promotion attitudes.