The Postoperative Nursing Care Experience with a Patient with Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery

This article describes the post-operative nursing care experience with a patient with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). The nursing care experience lasted six months (May 10 to October 16, 2004). Patient data were collected by observation, interview, and chart review. Using Gordon 11-item Functional Health Pattern Assessment, the author characterized the patient's clinical problems in such terms as ”Protective Ability Alteration”, ”Activity Intolerance”, and ”Physical Image Change”. During the postoperative nursing care period, the author responded to the patient's clinical problems paying particular attention to the patient's body comfort, the maintenance of physiological functions, keeping patient's wound clean and free from infection, and helping the patient gradually enter a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program. The attending nurse finally helped the patient realize the facts of the disease and pass the critically postoperative phase psychologically. This approach can help instill in the patient a positive attitude, overcome changes in body image, and improve health condition during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.