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?
Answer
Describe the nurse’s role and responsibility as health educator.
Today, patients are expected to play a more self-sufficient role in their health care. In order for patients to effectively manage their health care and have successful outcomes, patients need to receive quality education. As part of the interdisciplinary team, it is known that nurses spend more time with patients than any other discipline. Members of the team view nurses as their eyes and ears. The time spent with the patient allows a nurse to develop trust with the patient and family, assess their learning needs and provide quality instruction. The nurse can then share her insight about the patient to the other team members so that plans and goals for the patient can be adjusted and teaching can be reinforced. Through this process, specific educational needs of the patient are addressed, quality interventions are implemented and patient satisfaction and outcomes improve (Whitney, 2018).
Do you ever experience other members of the interdisciplinary team not using your insight about the patient and their educational needs in the plan of care and if so how do you continue to advocate for your patient?
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?
The surroundings or environment for the patient play an important role in effective learning. Educators need to create surroundings that engage the patient and allow the patient to feel safe and comfortable. A nurse should introduce himself or herself to the patient, sit with the patient and review the purpose of the education with the patient. A patient should never feel that the education is rushed and the nurse should avoid having any interruptions during the education process (Nursing, 2013).
How do you create an effective learning environment if your patient is not in a private room?
When should behavioral objectives be utilized in a care plan or health promotion?
Behavioral objectives are always included in every opportunity of health promotion. Nurses teach patients by encouraging behavioral change. Changing lifestyle practices and encouraging patients to change behaviors are key proponents in limiting illnesses and/or worsening chronic conditions (Whitney, 2018). Of course, in the end a nurse can encourage changes but it is the patient who will make the final decision to change.
How do you not get discouraged with patients who are “frequent flyers” and refuse to make the lifestyle changes needed to get healthy?
References
Nursing2013: October 2013 – Volume 43 – Issue 10 – p 1–3
doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000434224.51627.8a
Online exclusive
Whitney, S. (2018). Grand Canyon University (Ed). (2018). Health promotion: Health &
wellness across the continuum. Retrieved from
https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs429vn/health-
promotion-health-and-wellness-across-the-continuum/v1.1/#/chapter/1
