Abstract Rationale Early mobilization following cardiac surgery is critical to pulmonary recovery, with strong evidence linking ambulation to reduced atelectasis, pneumonia, and prolonged ventilator dependence. Although Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols emphasize mobility, many patients lack a clear understanding of daily ambulation milestones, limiting adherence and increasing pulmonary risk. We evaluated whether a structured pre-operative educational handout and mobility tracker could improve patient knowledge of post-operative ambulation goals compared with standard education. Methods This quality improvement project was conducted at a tertiary academic medical center. Patients scheduled for cardiac surgery were assigned to a control group (standard pre-operative education, n = 21) or an intervention group (educational handout plus mobility tracker, n = 19). The intervention consisted of a motivational overview highlighting pulmonary and systemic benefits of mobility, paired with a day-by-day ambulation checklist aligned with ERAS-derived pathways. After surgery, all patients completed a five-question survey assessing knowledge of mobility milestones, including timing of initial ambulation (e.g., bed-dangling), frequency and distance of walking, and the role of ambulation in preventing pulmonary complications. Results Patients who received the intervention demonstrated a 36% absolute improvement in knowledge compared with controls (72% vs. 36% average correct responses across all survey items). Intervention patients more consistently identified the need to dangle legs by post-operative day 0–1, initiate walking early, and ambulate multiple times daily. Importantly, they more frequently recognized that early ambulation is directly tied to preventing atelectasis and pneumonia. Patients in the intervention group also reported greater confidence in their ability to meet recovery goals. Conclusion A low-cost pre-operative educational handout and mobility tracker significantly improved patient knowledge of ambulation milestones following cardiac surgery, with a 36% absolute increase in correct survey responses compared to standard education. By strengthening patient understanding of how mobility mitigates pulmonary complications, this intervention may improve adherence to ERAS mobility pathways, reduce rates of atelectasis and pneumonia, and accelerate recovery. Given its simplicity and scalability, this tool can be readily integrated into pre-operative education across cardiothoracic surgery programs. This abstract is funded by: None
A Imperial (Fri,) studied this question.