Outpatient surgeries account for two-thirds of all surgery visits in the United States. Patients who receive surgery in an outpatient ambulatory setting have outcomes such as shortened length of stays. Patients in ambulatory surgical centers have less direct patient contact with health care providers, because patients spend less time in ambulatory surgical centers. This study focused on identifying what information ambulatory surgical patients perceived important in preoperative teaching and if providing a certain teaching influenced patients' perception of that teaching's importance. This PI surveyed 73 patients having outpatient orthopedic surgery in a Midwestern, suburban, free-standing outpatient surgical center. The Preoperative Teaching Interview Guide developed by the nursing department at the University of Texas, Galveston was used to analyze five dimensions of preoperative teaching: situational/procedural, sensation/discomfort, role information, psychosocial support and skills training. Findings from this study showed patients' valued teaching information which explained nursing care activities, equipment, events patients would experience, and patient-nurse interactions that enabled patients to handle anxiety and enhance coping skills most important. Patients preferred receiving information regardless of how important they perceived the teaching preoperatively. Patients' needed more information provided to them preoperatively on nerve blocks and expectations after discharged home. Additional research is needed to identify frequently asked questions by patients preoperatively which may help nurses provide clear and concise information. Nurses needed to better understand their patients and families learning needs to direct preoperative teaching. Understanding patients' perceptions of preoperative teaching can help nurses meet patient expectations and needs.