Participants receive visually immersive (virtual reality-designed) preoperative video education shown on a tablet that orients patients to the postoperative CVICU environment, equipment, and expected recovery processes. After viewing the video, the open-heart trained CVICU nurse provides opportunity for discussion, clarification, and questions. Assignment to this arm occurs during intervention weeks (Weeks 1-2 of each month, per protocol).

Participants receive standard preoperative education consisting of a basic verbal explanation of what to expect postoperatively on arrival to the CVICU, followed by opportunity for questions. Assignment to this arm occurs during control weeks (Weeks 3-4 of each month, per protocol).

The patients watch a 5-minute visually immersive education video on what to expect postoperatively on arrival to the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) followed by the opportunity for discussion/explanation and questions.

Patient's anxiety will be measured using the 20-item State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) (state scale only) (higher scores indicate higher anxiety), taken before and after preoperative education is received.

Patient's anxiety will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A), a slider scale of 0 - 100 is used to self-report anxiety (0 = not anxious and 100 = extremely anxious), taken before and after preoperative education is received.

Blood pressure is measured before and after receipt of preoperative education. Increased anxiety may cause elevation of this physiological indicator.