Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Author Note
Honor code: I pledge
Patient education according to Webster is nursing teaching of the patient. It is the process of
assisting the patient to gain knowledge, skill, and a value or attitude related to a health problem
or health promotion (Webster, n.d.). With the information that is shared with the patient, it allows
them to take better care of themselves by adopting a healthy lifestyle, knowing the correct use of
a medication and the care and management of diseases or injuries at home (Medical Dictionary,
2012). Education empowers the patient to make decisions related to ongoing health care and
treatments. Nurses recognize the importance of patient education, but continue to be frustrated
by the lack of time and resources to complete the task (Nurses Together, 2012). As insurance
restraints are weighing down with shorter lengths of stay for each patient, nurses know they have
a limited time to help the patient understand their disease process and how to manage things at
home. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the patient and family to continue to gain
improvements and to maintain health through self-care (Nurses Together, 2012). The purposes of
this paper is to show some of the restraints that nurses feel with attempting to educate patients in
the hospital and to make some suggestions for improving the education process.
Health care education and delivery has become a challenge for nurses. Nurses are
challenged each day to make sure that the patients in their care have the necessary information
needed to make informed decisions (Beagley, 2011). Time constraints because of staffing issues
and testing and procedures that the patient has been scheduled and the lack of knowledge on a
particular topic are areas that healthcare workers struggle. There are also some barriers to patient
education that the nurse has to take into account when attempting to educate. Some of these
obstacles include language, literacy, physiological needs- i.e. is patient in pain, and culture
(Beagley,2011). Much of the information that is given to the patient is intended to educate the
patient on self-care at home, following the dependence of nurses in the hospital (Loxton, 2016).
As patients are overwhelmed with a new diagnosis or all they must do to care for a chronic
illness, they become anxious making it hard for them to remember the important information
given when they were being educated.
When organizing the framework of educating patients we need to keep these things in
mind. Be culturally aware- in some cultures illness is a family event. Make sure that you include
family in your education. Presume that patients can be responsible for their care. Allow patients
to participate in the learning process. Provide optimal learning enviornments for patients. Give
patients your undivided attention and do not attempt to teach if the patient is sleepy, hungry or in
pain (University Alliance, n.d.). Our world has changed a great deal over the centuries. The
methods available to teach patients has expanded. Technology has assisted to make educational
materials more readily available. Patients specific needs can be met and educational material can
be customized, i.e. if materials need to be in another language or large print (Practical Nursing,
n.d.). Education of patients should begin upon admission. Emphasizing what is necessary-as
patients are losing their independence, teach them what is needed for them to complete self-care.
Choose the right time-i.e. when giving meds or taking a meal. Look for teaching moments, such
as when you empty a foley, asking the patient why it is important to monitor fluid intake and
output. Make sure that goals and objectives are clearly defined so that the patient is aware of
what to expect (Ward, 2012). Nurses and other healthcare professionals are becoming more
aware of the impact of poor health literacy on outcomes. Many of the educational materials sent
home with the patients are complex. We must make sure we make it understandable for the
patient and their family so they can take good care of themselves.
Environment
Post surgical
Pain
Problem/Issue- Bedside
__Educational material is too high __________No family present _____________________
nurses do not have the time
____
ANA nurse practice act
Policy/
Procedure
Personnel
to educate.
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References