NRS 429V Week 1 Discussion Question 1
Assessment Description
Describe the nurse’s role and responsibility as health educator. What strategies, besides the use of learning styles, can a nurse educator consider when developing tailored individual care plans, or for educational programs in health promotion? When should behavioral objectives be utilized in a care plan or health promotion?
The nurse’s role and responsibility as health care educator within the healthcare environment is key in the promotion of health for the nurse’s patients. The nurse is the primary educator or the coordinator of education for the patient across various disciplines involved in the care of the patient. The nurse must consider a variety of factors when the nurse is educating the patient and any other people involved in the care of the patient. These factors include socioeconomic factors influencing the patient and the patient’s current state of health. Other factors the nurse should take into consideration when educating the nurse’s patient and those participating in the patient’s care include race, ethnicity, disabilities, poverty, housing status, access to health care, and sex/gender/sexual orientation (Whitney, 2018).
One strategy a nurse can use to educate the nurse’s patient and or caregivers is the Teach-Back strategy. The Teach-Back method is a way to confirm patient’s understanding of information presented to the patient and the patient’s engagement in the learning process (Bickes et al, 2021). The basis of the Teach-Back strategy is forming questions to ask the patient to verify the patient understood information presented to them after the patient has received the information. In this study, the Teach-Back method was found to be “an effective method of reinforcing or confirming patient education” (Bickes et al, 2021).
A behavioral objective is a learning outcome stated in measurable terms which gives direction to a patient’s learning and becomes a basis to evaluate the learning. (Gronlund, N as found in Writing Behavioral Objectives, PNW). Behavioral objectives should be used by the nurse when the nurse is seeking a measurable outcome or measurable improvement in the patient’s health after providing the patient with education towards the desired outcome. For example, if a nurse is developing a plan to educate a patient on how to achieve a normal hemoglobin A1C, the education plan should include methods to lower the patient’s A1C and the measurable goal of the patient’s hemoglobin A1C after the education has been given.
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Bickes, D.; Jennings, K.; Feinberg, I. (2021) Health Literacy Strategies to Engage Cancer Patients and Caregivers Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship 12(3) 82-85
Gronlund, N.E. (2004) Writing instructional objectives for teaching and assessment (7th ed). New York City, New York: Pearson College Division
Purdue University Northwest (Ed.). Writing Behavioral Objectives https://pnw.edu/college-of-nursing/student-resources/writing-behavioral-objectives/
Whitney, S. (2018) Grand Canyon University (Ed.). Health Promotion: Health and Wellness Across the Continuum https://www.gcumedia.com.digital-resources/grand-canyon-university/2018/health-promotion_health-and-wellness-across-the-continuum_1e.php
One of the main roles of being a registered nurse is being able to provide education that is specific to the patient’s level of current knowledge and understanding. Ensuring patients’ understanding of every procedure and/or intervention is what contributes to the patient’s health awareness and wellbeing as a whole. As a nurse, it is crucial to implement patient education based on their specific needs, all the while being aware of cultural competency. Being aware of a patient’s cultural background will not only promote a better patient outcome but enforcing this in every patient care will significantly enhance a trusting relationship between nurses and their patients. Being a health educator in the nursing industry consists of many roles in each patient care. However, some of the most common roles in everyday practice are implementing healthier changes and self-care behaviors, in which can both reduce risk factors related to the most common diseases (Whitney, 2018).
Most often, printed information of the patients’ diagnosis, treatment, education, etc. is not enough to fulfill the patient’s satisfaction and understanding. In addition, patients may often feel overwhelmed by printed information, especially if they do not have any medical background. This can certainly lead to being discouraged and losing the overall motivation to learn more about their health care. With that said, however, there are several techniques that nurses can use to enhance patient care and understanding. Following the nursing process by first assessing the patient can provide nurses the basic understanding of how to better approach patients when it comes to patient education. Asking open-ended questions, assessing any learning barriers and/or concerns are some of the effective ways that can encourage patients to communicate their specific needs (Smith & Zsohar, 2013).
Furthermore, one of the most commonly used strategies is the “teach-back, tell back” method, where a nurse performs and teaches the patient how to do certain procedures. Afterward, the patient will do this specific procedure under the guidance of his/her nurse (Smith & Zsohar, 2013). This method secures true understanding and patient safety, all the while building their self-care confidence. Behavioral objectives should be established in every patient care. The identification of these objectives can certainly help nurses implement health promotion and patient understanding.
Reference
Smith, J. A., Zsohar, H. (2013). Patient-education tips for new nurses. Nursing 2021, 43(10), 1-3.
Whitney, S. (2018). Teaching and learning styles. UpToDate. Retrieved December 08, 2021, from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs429vn/health-promotion-health-and-wellness-across-the-continuum/v1.1/#/chapter/1
Patient education is essential in healthcare. Education can prevent medical conditions, inform patients about procedures and recovery processes, decrease complications from medication and medical devices, reduce patients readmitted to the hospital, change lifestyle patterns and so much more (Arkansas State University, 2018). As nurses, we are essential doing this with everyday care as we talk to our patients about what we are doing and why we are doing things, such as medication, physical therapy, monitoring, ect. A nurse has an immense role in the education of patient’s as they are involved in patient care and can educate in small segments during care to both stimulate the patient to find interest in their care and make discharge education much less dense and overwhelming. Nurses also have great responsibility with education. We do not want our patients to not understand medications they are taking or why they are having a procedure. It is our job to advocate for our patients and we highlight this with education as we involve them in their care. Evidence based practice is what we teach our patients as nurses. One method for teaching patients is interactive teaching strategies. An interactive approach involves an interaction amongst the participants, which in our case, are patients, (Horntvedt, 2018). By having the patient interact and understand why they are taking medication or why they are doing certain care, they are able to better learn and understand. Another great education tool for teaching and learning is the teach back method where the patient explains back the education (Horntvedt, 2018). Behavioral objectives require the willingness of the patient to be involved in learning and changing. These objects however also give the nurse or caregiver a guideline to see if the patient is actually learning and their care plan is effective. The teach back method can also be used as a behavioral objective in highlighting the retained knowledge of our patients and their ability to interact with their care. Overall, education amongst nurses is a vital factor to our roles as healthcare providers.
References:
Arkansas State University. (2018). The Nurse’s Role in Patient Education. https://degree.astate.edu/articles/nursing/nurses-role-patient-education.aspx
Horntvedt, M. (2018) Strategies for teaching evidence-based practice in nursing education: a thematic literature review. BMC Medical Education. https://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-018-1278-z