Patient Education in Challenging Times Invaluable to patients
Patient Education in Challenging Times Invaluable to patients & families Heather Ead RN, BSc. N, Clinical Educator Perioperative Services – West Toronto, Trillium Health Centre
Education – An Active Process l l Education and learning are active processes Participative & interactive Neglecting this principle creates obstacles We all have a role in education
Life Long Learning Patient Education • Stay Professional Education healthy o. Review/recertification • Manage disease/recovery o. Remain current • Prevent complications o. New meds, treatments, procedures, equipment • How to recognize & respond to complications o. New disease/virus
Education - Increasingly Important l l l Quality of life Better outcomes Growing prevalence of chronic illness Independence, empowerment Better prepared Reduced anxiety
Some common Myths l l l “the patients are too ill to learn” “showing a video or giving a pamphlet is equivalent to health teaching” “I don’t have time to teach”
Is there Time? l l l Teaching on the go/multi-tasking Teachable moments Even just 5 minutes of health teaching can make a difference
Providing Effective Education l l l Keep it simple Avoid confusing “health care” language Use additional resources Remember that anxiety is a barrier to learning Repeat, repeat and then repeat
Confirming Understanding l l l Interactive approach; ask questions (open ended) Relate education back to the individual Take turns; have the patient repeat back key points for confirmation
Andragogy is the art and science of adult learning Adults learners are: 1. Self directed 2. Task orientated 3. Experienced l
Learning Styles l l We learn more effectively when teaching matches our style Ensure you use some methods that meet each of the 4 types
Learning Styles Divergent Emphasis on feelings Generate discussion Assimilative Just the facts… mini- lectures Convergent Hands on demonstration Accommodative Problem solvers scenarios
I Forget…. After 2 weeks we only remember…. 10% What we have read 20% What we have heard 30% What we have seen 50% What we heard & saw 70% What we said 90% Said and did (hands on)
Educational Materials l l l 12 font or larger NOT ALL CAPS! Proper use of white space Common language Bold only headings or for emphasis Illustrations to clarify/augment info
Low Literacy Skills What percentage of North Americans have low literacy skills? a) 10% b) 25% c) 46% d) 60%
46% is Significant There is a link between low literacy and; l Poor health l Less access to health info l Less able to follow Tx plans & instructions l More likely to delay seeking Tx
Reading Level l l Literacy = ability to read, write & interpret Decoding and processing information Computer programs can identify reading level Calculations “SMOG” More than 3 polysyllables , let it be
Body Language Counts Our words account for ______% of a message. a) 50% b) 90% c) 7%
Body Language Counts l l l Our words only account for 7% of the overall message “paralanguage” influences the message too Tone & volume of voice Non-verbal behaviors We should be aware of these components in our communication
In Summary l l Use clear language Recap info/summarize Have patient repeat back Evaluate and clarify as needed
Put Down the Shovel l Education is not filling the pail, but lighting a fire (Yeats)
References l l Belton & Simpson (2003). The How to of Patient Education Herndon, Kornblith & Holland (2008). Patient education as predictor of survival in lung cancer clinical trials. J of Clinical Oncology Haines et al. (2009). Patient education for neck pain. The Spine Journal Koo, Krass & Aslani. (2006) Enhancing patient education about medication. Health Expectations.
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