The design of written information for cardiac patients: a review of the literature

• Written information is a form of communication that is being recognized by nurses as increasingly important, and a large amount of information is now being produced. • Now that patient turnover is becoming more rapid and hospital stays shorter, thus leaving less time for face‐to‐face patient education, nurses are increasingly relying on the written word to supplement verbal information‐giving. • It is vital that written materials, whatever their source, should be of the highest quality. Nowhere is this more relevant than in the case of post‐coronary patients. • In view of the dearth of research‐based cardio‐specific literature, this review examines the broader literature and offers guidelines for nurses who wish to produce their own information. • Format and presentation of written materials rather than content are the focus and the issues and conclusions are applicable to nurses working in fields other than cardiac nursing.