This study aims to find out how hospital patients in Finland perceive and evaluate the education they receive. It represents the first part of a patient education project at one university hospital in which the ultimate goal is to support patients' decision-making and self-care and in this way to facilitate the independent empowerment with health problems. The survey comprised of 754 patients from 63 of the hospital's 100 wards during a randomly selected week in spring 2001. The results show that most patients described the patient education they had received as sufficient, although some did indicate they had not learned enough about the possible side effects of care, problems of care and future care. Patients were not content with the education they received in support of social, experiential, ethical and financial aspects. The methods used in patient education should also be more diversified and patient-centred.