Preoperative teaching: easing the patient's anxiety.

1. Individual instruction is the preferred method for teaching patients; however, because of staffing limitations, nurses have less quality time to provide teaching solely by this method. 2. A booklet describing basic information about surgery and an accompanying videotape allow patients to review the material at their own pace and ask questions when they are ready. 3. The booklet and videotape allow the nursing staff to reinforce the material without neglecting other patients and provide flexibility of teaching methods to accommodate the various learning needs of different patients.