Abstract
A small percentage of cardiac clients experience cognitive and memory disorders after surgery. Since these disorders could limit a client's ability to function independently in daily activities, it would seem imperative that occupational therapists be able to examine the cognitive and memory dysfunctions of their cardiac clients. This paper presented information on the reliability and validity of a number of tools that have been administered by researchers and rehabilitation professionals to assess cognition. A critique of the information on assessment instruments and screening tools suggested that several tools could provide therapists with valuable diagnostic material on cognition. Promising screening tools and assessments appeared to require further research with a cardiac population.