What is an essential piece of information to include in preoperative teaching about using an incentive spirometer?

The best results from using an incentive spirometer are achieved when the patient is sitting up. Sitting upright promotes optimal lung expansion and facilitates better airflow, which is crucial for effective use of the device. This position helps in clearing secretions, increases lung volume, and enhances the patient’s ability to take deep breaths, thereby preventing complications such as atelectasis after surgery. Preoperative teaching that emphasizes the importance of using the spirometer while sitting up encourages patients to adopt the correct posture, maximizing the effectiveness of the incentive spirometer.

In contrast, using the device while lying flat would not support the lung function as effectively, and stating that the device is only used post-surgery restricts patients' understanding of its importance in both preoperative and postoperative care. While inhaling deeply into the device is an important aspect of using it, it is not as critical as ensuring patients understand the optimal position for usage to maximize its benefits.