Techniques To Use To Improve The Delivery Of Patient Education

By Laura Taylor


Managing an ailment can be very hard if you lack the know-how. It is the responsibility of the nurses who are taking care of you to educate you on how to manage a condition. As a nurse, this can be a very hard responsibility if you lack the proper tools and skills to educate the person you are nursing. However, it is very important for everyone dealing with an ailment to understand how to take care of their bodies. Here are strategies to patient education delivery:

People have distinct ways in which they learn and understand quickly. Some people are better learners when they watch a video while others are better when they read from a book. Due to this, as a nurse, you should interrogate your patient to know their preferred manner of learning. After you are aware of their best mode of learning, ensure you use it in the best way possible to teach them.

Modern technology has improved the way education is delivered by making it fun and easier. It has also made it very easy to educate a group of people or even an individual. When you want to teach the people you are nursing how to take care of their selves, ensure that you use technology. Devices like mobile phones allow you to record instructions for these people to refer to when they like.

Not everyone appreciates been taught by someone or been told what to do. Some patients may have lost hope in themselves and think that learning to take care of themselves is a complete waste of time. The nurses should motivate them first about life before teaching them. Take your time when it comes to dealing with patients, some may still be in the stage of denial. Help them out of that stage first and let them see the positive side of life.

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your patients in advance. Once you have identified this, it will allow you to identify the best way to teach them. For instance, when dealing with very elderly people, make sure that you are very patient. The type of medical condition that an individual is suffering from also determines how best to teach them.

Ensure that the learning is jovial and interactive. This is where you should give room for your patients to ask for clarifications and even express their feelings. This will help them to understand and remember easily. This also will help you create a bond with your patients.

Make the learning experience fun and engaging. Allow your patients to ask questions and give their opinions. When they fail to engage in the learning process, they will get bored and will not understand or recall what they have learned. Making the learning session, fun also improves the relationship that you have with your patients.

How fast a patient gets well is influenced by the level of health care they get and how they manage their illnesses. To ensure that your patients get better quickly, it is your role as a nurse to teach them on how to manage their illness. In case your patient does not have proper skills on how to handle their illness, you will have failed in your role as a nurse. This article gives different strategies on how to improve the learning experience of your patients.




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