The purpose of this research was to obtain information on the content of education within cardiac rehabilitation programs, methods of administering education, what the barriers are to providing education and which professionals administer education.To reach this goal, a questionnaire was modified from a previous study and a pilot study was undertaken to establish reliability of the questionnaire. The questionnaire was then sent to a sample of 100 directors of cardiac rehabilitation programs belonging to The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). The questionnaire focused on 13 established areas of education within cardiac rehabilitation programs.Once the questionnaires were completed, the information was transferred to a table format based upon the 13 content areas. The following conclusions were drawn from the research and the data gathered: 11 of the 13 content areas are offered at least 84% of the time, the major barriers for the 13 content areas were lack of time and lack of interest on the patient's behalf, the most frequent methods of education for all 13 content areas were individual education, print materials, and group education, and the primary educator overall for all 13 content areas was the nurse followed by the exercise physiologist and dietitian/nutritionist. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

Background: Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to be effective in reducing mortality and morbidity in Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). There is a limited amount of research that evaluates the impact of menu-based CR, in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome with Low Troponin levels (ACSLT). Aim: This thesis contains a feasibility study and an exploratory study. The feasibility study aimed to examine the feasibility of a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) which would test the impact of a menu-based CR programme, on individuals diagnosed with ACSLT, against standard care. This feasibility study included staff views. The exploratory study aimed to explore the impact that ACSLT and CR can have on this client group. Method: The feasibility study was a repeated measures case-control trial of menu-based CR based on the theoretical framework of the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM), using a range of health assessments. The areas assessed included misconceptions, symptoms, anxiety, depression and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). In addition, focus groups were held with both ward and specialist CR staff to seek their views on the feasibility of a RCT of menu-based CR for ACSLT. The exploratory study consisted of description and analysis of the data that had been collected from the participants over the two year period as above. In addition it included qualitative data that had been collected during interviews with the participants. Findings: Participants (n=33) were recruited from cardiology wards following an admission with ACSLT. They were assessed at baseline (T1), nine months (T3) and 24 months (T4). Twenty-five participants completed the studies. The feasibility study was successful in its aim of testing the CR intervention and protocols for a further RCT. The intervention was acceptable to the participants and to the specialist staff, although the ward staff did not see the need for a RCT. The measures used, with the exception of the self-reporting measures, were suitable and provided a wide range of data that could be utilised in a RCT. However the changes to diagnostic categories meant that a RCT would no longer be feasible. The exploratory study found that both groups were similar on a range of baseline demographic and clinical factors. There was a tendency to benefit within the exploratory study which favoured the intervention. An additional finding from the exploratory study was the degree of uncertainty experienced by the participants, within the context of a changing political and clinical landscape. Discussion and conclusions: The studies presented in this thesis add to our knowledge by highlighting some of the difficulties in designing a RCT of menu-based CR in a specific subgroup of CHD and by presenting outcome data for a small group of participants that have not previously been studied within the literature. This data suggests that there was a tendency to benefit for the intervention that requires further study. Implications for practice: Patients with ACSLT are now being included in CR programmes due to the changes within the diagnostic criteria. Clinicians have little understanding of the impact of CR on this group of patients, or what type of interventions would work best. Large RCT’s will however be problematic and this thesis has highlighted that further work is required to explore how CR can best improve the well-being of individuals with ACSLT.

This qualitative study sought to explore the Hong Kong Chinese patient's perceptions of an Intensive Care experience and their views on the introduction of feng shui principles focussing on sleep orientations, dietary management and exercise regimes. The study explored the background of feng shui as an authentic traditional Chinese belief. It also explores if incorporating these feng shui principles into the health care setting would provide a positive effect for open-heart patients in an Intensive Care Unit at the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital in Hong Kong. The major inference drawn from this study is that Chinese patients seek culturally related experiences from the health care setting. The Chinese informants showed strong belief patterns in traditional practices of feng shui, however, practiced these within the confines of their homes as these experiences were denied to them in the hospital setting. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

This qualitative study sought to explore the Hong Kong Chinese patient's perceptions of an Intensive Care experience and their views on the introduction of feng shui principles focussing on sleep orientations, dietary management and exercise regimes. The study explored the background of feng shui as an authentic traditional Chinese belief. It also explores if incorporating these feng shui principles into the health care setting would provide a positive effect for open-heart patients in an Intensive Care Unit at the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital in Hong Kong. The major inference drawn from this study is that Chinese patients seek culturally related experiences from the health care setting. The Chinese informants showed strong belief patterns in traditional practices of feng shui, however, practiced these within the confines of their homes as these experiences were denied to them in the hospital setting. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)