Background: Patients undergoing open-heart surgery often face a wide range of physical, psychological, and social challenges that can adversely affect recovery and quality of life. Insufficient self-care and poor adherence to healthy behaviors after discharge remain major barriers to optimal outcomes. Theory-based frameworks, particularly the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), can help bridge the intention–behavior gap and strengthen self-regulation, thereby improving recovery and quality of life. Methods: This descriptive–developmental study aimed to design a structured self-care educational package for post–cardiac surgery patients based on the HAPA model. The development process included seven steps: needs assessment through a systematic review of the literature (2015–2025) and stakeholder consultations; defining educational objectives at knowledge and skill levels; developing educational content according to motivational and volitional constructs of HAPA; selecting appropriate delivery methods (face-to-face sessions, workshops, podcasts, and a comprehensive booklet); designing an evaluation framework; validating the content and structure with a multidisciplinary panel of cardiac surgery, nursing, anesthesia, and psychology experts; and formulating an implementation plan for both patients and their caregivers. Results: The developed package provided an integrated approach to enhance self-efficacy, action planning, and coping strategies. The use of multimedia resources combined with expert validation ensured high clinical applicability, adaptability to patient needs, and feasibility in real-world settings. Conclusions: A self-care educational package designed using the HAPA model offers a promising framework to improve self-management, reduce postoperative complications, and enhance the quality of life among cardiac surgery patients. Future interventional studies are recommended to evaluate its behavioral, psychological, and clinical impacts
Moradi A, Khamseh F, Mahmoudi H, Moradi A. Design of a Self-Care Educational Program for Post–Cardiac Surgery Patients Based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). NPWJM 2026; 13 (49) : 03 URL: http://npwjm.ajaums.ac.ir/article-1-1108-en.html