An education booklet to aid cardiac patients' recovery at home

Background: Hospital and home-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes improve the health outcomes of cardiac patients. Both types of programmes include patient education as a core component. However, many patients do not attend cardiac rehabilitation programmes for a variety of reasons. In Singapore, where cardiac rehabilitation is comparatively uncommon, patient education is usually delivered face-to-face by healthcare professionals because educational materials designed specifically for cardiac patients recovering at home are not available. 

Aim: This paper describes the development of a patient education booklet designed to aid recovery at home after a myocardial infarction in Singapore.

Methods: The conception and development of this evidence-based Heart Recovery Education Booklet was based on patient need and current clinical guidelines pertaining to cardiac rehabilitation and planned in consultation with specialists such as cardiologists, psychiatrists and physiotherapists. 

Results: The booklet is a patient resource to aid recovery at home after an myocardial infarction. It is interactive, based on identified need and aims to guide and assist the patient in performing their usual activities of daily living and adhering to treatment regimens, including exercise. 

Conclusion: This booklet is a resource for patients with myocardial infarction and healthcare professionals and its effectiveness in improving health-related quality of life, psychological status and coronary risk profile is to be tested in a randomized controlled trial. 

Implications for nursing and health policy: Policy makers in health and nursing must find ways of developing and implementing cardiac rehabilitation programmes that aid recovery from myocardial infarction. This education booklet offers one way to do this.