Abstract
Background: A nurse-led support and education programme for patients waiting for coronary artery bypass surgery was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial of 188 patients at a tertiary centre in the UK.
Aim: To add a qualitative perspective to the evaluation by exploring patients' experience while taking part in the trial and staff views of the patients' experience and the intervention.
Methods: A purposive sample of 19 patients was interviewed and the transcriptions read to staff during focus groups. They discussed what they learned from the stories and their own experience of the programme.
Results: The patients appreciated support from the nurses but felt communication and physical assessment could be improved. The patients varied in their understanding of the programme and their degree of motivation to improve their health. The staff varied in their approach to preparing patients for surgery. External factors influencing the intervention's impact were length of time on the waiting list and the increasing contribution of local rehabilitation services.
Conclusion: Staff need to improve communication both between themselves and with the patients. Patients appreciate physical and psychological preparation for surgery, but the waiting period is not the optimal time to address their risk factors for coronary disease.
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