Choosing Efficient Patient Education Techniques

By Steven Hill


Teaching people receiving treatment is a significant aspect of giving nursing care. It does not matter whether you are training a new mother on taking care of a newborn or teaching an adult to cope with a chronic condition. The achievement of the trainee will depend on the quality of instruction and support given by the nurse. It is, therefore, important for both parties to take patient education seriously for it to achieve best results.

Initially, training clients on treatment was very inconveniencing. Most of the training was focused on classroom like models where clients would have to take notes. Technology, on the other hand, has ensured that information is easily accessible. For the most part, nursing facilities have numerous training resources stored in computers. These materials can easily be modified to conform to the specific needs of clients. The information is then printed out for distribution.

As a caregiver, the health of your client solely depends on how you handle them. How you choose to educate them is very crucial. If you give them a heap of papers and tell them to go and read, you would have done very little to help them. Chances are they may not read it. If you take the time to go through the information with your client, it helps them develop an interest in the educational material.

You can use different techniques to offer the same information. As a matter of principle, providing training using different modalities helps to reinforce teaching. The first thing you need to do is determine whether your client learns best by reading or watching DVD. Most of the adults are intelligent and function effectively. They are however unable to read and comprehend instructions in printed form.

When working with adults, you should consider using a hands-on approach. Let your client perform a procedure with your help. This way, they are unlikely to forget what they have learned. This method is highly effective for mothers who are learning to breastfeed or bathe their newborns. It is more logical to assist them to do it right, rather than giving them printed materials to go and read. They may not apply it correctly.

If you want to be a reputable health care professional, you should learn to stimulate the interests of your clients in their problem. A client who is interested in their condition will respond well to the instructions you give them. As such, they will be in a position to handle their condition more effectively. Remember that success in this field depends on the attitude of the client towards instructions.

Adult clients can be difficult to handle. They look for instant gratification. You must, therefore, develop skills that will help you determine the things that matter for each of your clients. Be keen to establish rapport with them. Ask them questions to get them talking. Encourage them to ask questions as well. This will help you understand their particular interests.

Consider involving family members in the teaching. It is one of the ways to ensure they adhere to the instructions you give. Family members can follow up on the client because you will not be with them all the time.




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