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Coronary bypass surgery is an increasingly common occurrence. Current literature does not validate the coping mechanisms involved for patients facing this life-threatening event. Lazarus’ theory of stress and coping was utilized as the framework for the study. The purpose of the study was to identify the degree of threat coronary bypass surgery presents and coping mechanisms utilized with this specific insult. The significance of the study was to assist nurses in identification of perceived risks/benefits of having open heart surgery from the patient’s perspective. The population included patients from a private cardiovascular practice in Indianapolis, Indiana. The convenience sample included 38 subjects recovering from coronary bypass graft surgery. Subjects were identified as uncomplicated post-operative surgical patients and were mailed questionnaires one month after discharge from the hospital. The Jalowiec Coping Scale and a questionnaire for demographic data were utilized to collect data. Procedures for protection of human subjects were followed. The research design was non-experimental and descriptive, correlational procedures were utilized to analyze data.The data supported the notions that clients utilized both problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping strategies were more effective in reducing the threat. Education was significantly related to emotive coping styles and clients that perceived a higher threat intensity utilized more emotion-focused coping strategies. Recognition of the need to minimize stressors can be an important role the nurse facilitates. Through participatory care, the nurse may assist in finding the meaning for the stressor and encourage open communication patterns and emotional responses. Allowing for reduction of threat perception and intensity may enhance the outcome of the experience. / School of Nursing

The experience of living through an unexpected, life-threatening cardiovascular surgery can be a profound. This study examined the experience of 4 men who had survived ruptured aortic aneurysm using a phenomenological research design.Audio-taped interviews were analyzed for common themes and patterns. Two strong, opposing constitutive patterns were found. The patterns the data conveyed were: 1) fear as a response to overwhelming pain and clouded perceptions, and 2) gratitude for recovery in an atmosphere of caring support.This study was significant in beginning to bring to understanding the phenomenon of surviving major, unexpected cardiovascular surgical trauma. It is recommended that health care providers be more attentive to similar patients' experiences and listen to how their lives have changed as a result of their experiences. / School of Nursing

This is a study of some of the families in the Loma Linda University Medical Center infant heart transplant program.

An experiment was conducted to investigate three different treatment strategies in the rehabilitation of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients. Fifteen CABG patients were randomly assigned to one of three training groups: an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation exercise group (which met three times per week for three months); a second group which participated in weekly stress management training for seven weeks in addition to the cardiac rehabilitation exercise sessions; and a third group which participated in a weekly discussion on social support in addition to the exercise sessions. The groups were compared (pre- and post training) on the following physiological dependent measures: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean heart rate, cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins, and the cholesterol/high density lipoprotein ratio. Psychological self-report measures included: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Spielberger State/Trait Anxiety Index, the Jenkins Activity Survey, and the Hassles and Uplifts Questionnaire. The Structured Interview was given to each patient prior to training only. It was predicted that the group trained in stress management and exercise would show the most positive changes on physiological and psychological dependent measures compared to the other two groups. The results indicated no significant pre/post differences on any of the variables for any of the groups. Thus, the additional components of stress management training and the social support discussion group did not appear to effect more positive change in those patients compared to those who participated in exercise only. Findings may have been influenced by several factors including a small N in each group and large within group variability. Suggestions for future research are discussed.