Patient Education

By
Dr. Nadia Bassuoni

Associate Professor of Maternal and Newborn Health Nursing

College of Applied Medical Science
Jouf University
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lecture each student will be able to:
 Identify what is the patient education
 Explain the objectives of patient education
 Differentiate between patent education and nursing process
 Identify the steps of patient Education
 Patient Education

 Patient education is a significant component of modern health

care.

 Is a process of assisting the patient to gain knowledge, skill, and a

value or attitude related to a health problem or for health

promotion.

 Patient education can be divided into two large categories;

clinical patient education (or clinical teaching and learning) and

health education.
 Clinical Patient Education

 Clinical Patient Education is a planned, systematic, sequential,

and logical process of teaching and learning provided to patients

and clients in all clinical settings.

 Clinical Patient Education is also a continuous teaching and

learning process involving the health care provider and the

patient or client (and/or the patient’s family).

 Clinical Patient Education

 Clinical patient education is also a continuous teaching and

learning process involving the health care provider and the
patient or client (and/or the patient’s family).

 The goals of clinical teaching and learning are based on the

patient’s assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and
individual needs and requirements related to interventions.
 Patient Education

 Health education is also a teaching and learning process similar

to patient education.
 However, it concentrates mostly on wellness, prevention, and
health promotion.
 Additionally, health education can be provided to individuals,
groups, and communities.
 The basic focus of health education is to change and improve
societal health behaviors.
 Patient Education

 There are three important objectives of patient education

that may result in positive health outcome.
1. Changing health behaviors
2. Improving health status
3. Improving patient compliance
 Patient education

 Patient education provides health information and instruction

to help patients learn about specific or general medical topics.

 Topics include the need for preventive services, the adoption

of healthy lifestyles, the correct use of medications, and the
care of diseases or injuries at home.
 Patient education

 Skill Building and Responsibility – Patients need to know when,

how, and why they need to make a lifestyle change.
 Group Effort – Each member of the patient’s health care team
needs to be involved.
 Patient Education Value is the results of clear communication.

 Increased Compliance – Effective communication and patient

education increases patient motivation to comply.

 Patient Outcomes – Patients more likely to respond well to their

treatment plan which results in fewer complications.
 Patient Education

 Informed Consent – Patients feel you’ve provided the

information they need to make the right decision

 Utilization – More effective use of medical services – fewer

unnecessary phone calls and visits.

 Satisfaction and referrals – Patients more likely to stay with

your practice and refer other patients.
 Patient Education

 Adapt to illness/disability: Patient education helps chronic

people to develop ways of coping with their impairments and live
life to the maximum potential.

 Cooperate with the prescribed therapy: Patient education will

assist patients who needs dialysis to learn ways to be cooperative
and still maintain their sense of self.
 Patient Education

 Learn to solve problems when confronted with new situations:

Patient education teaches patients the skill of problem solving so
that they can figure out solutions when they are alone and at home.
e.g. : takes sweet if they feel symptoms of hypoglycemia
 Prevent hospitalization or re-hospitalization: The ultimate goal
of patient education is to help the patient to be as fully functioning
a person as possible in his/her home and community and it reduce
re-hospitalized.
 Patient Teaching

 Patient teaching refers to only one component of the patient

education process the actual imparting of information to the patient.

 The goals of clinical teaching and learning are based on the

patient’s assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and

individual needs and requirements related to interventions.

 Patient Education Process and the Nursing
Process
Relationship between the Patient Education Process and the Nursing
Process
1. The Patient Education Process has four steps: Assessment,
Planning, Implementation and Evaluation.
2. The Nursing Process has five steps: Assessment, Nursing
Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation.
3. The Patient Education Process should not be thought of as
something entirely separate from the Nursing Process.
4. Providing education to patients is a nursing intervention
 Patient Education Process and the Nursing
Process
Patient Education Nursing Process

Summary of assessment findings is Summary of assessment findings is

description of person’s learning needs nursing diagnosis

In the planning phase learning In the planning phase short and long
objectives are established term goals are established

In implementation phase teaching/ n implementation nursing intervention

learning activities are carried out are carried out which
which is actually nursing intervention
 Patient Education TIPS

• Discuss; DON’T LECTURE!

• Consider circumstantial & socio-economic factors

• Respect cultural/spiritual beliefs and attitudes
• Ask the patient what they understand about the health issue

• Assess the patient’s readiness for change

• Keep it simple
• Reinforcement, reinforcement, reinforcement
• Relapse is part of changing behavior
 Patient Education Rationale
Model of Patient Education Outcomes

Health
HealthStatus
Status
Knowledge
Knowledgeand
andAttitude
AttitudeChanges
Changes ·· Physical
Physicalhealth
health
·· Increased
Increasedunderstanding
understanding ·· Well-being
Well-being
·· Increased
Increasedconfidence
confidence ·· Symptoms
Symptoms
·· Increased satisfaction
Increased satisfaction ·· Complications
Complications
·· Improved
Improvedemotional
emotionalstate
state

Patient
PatientEducation
Education
·· Print
Print
·· Verbal
Verbal
·· Multimedia Behavior
BehaviorChanges
Changes Costs
Costs
Multimedia
·· Combination ·· Health
Healthservices
servicesutilization
utilization ·· Length
Lengthofofstay
stay
Combination ·· Compliance
Compliance ·· Utilization
Utilization
·· Lifestyle
Lifestyle ·· Provider
Providerimage
image
·· Self-care
Self-care ·· Regulatory
Regulatory
compliance
compliance
 Patient Education - Steps
1. Assessment of the Patient – Define patient and family needs
and concerns; observe readiness to learn.
2. Design of the Instruction Plan – Set objectives with your
patient; select materials.
3. Select a Teaching Strategies and resources– Put the plan in
motion; help patients along the way to reach the objectives
you’ve set together.
4. Go teach the patient – Understand and adapt to barriers to
learning
5. Evaluate - Evaluation is critical and should be continuous
through all four steps!
 Patient Education
Step 5:
Evaluate Step 1:
Learning Assessment of
Process the Patient

Step 4: Go Step 2:
teach the Design of the
patient. Instruction

Step 3:
Select a Teaching
Strategies and
resources

Stromberg A. Eur. J. Heart Failure. 2005.

 Step 1: Assessment

Disease-Specific Knowledge

 General Questions.

 Why do you think you feel short of breath?

 Tell me what heart failure means to you?

 What things do you need to do to take care of your

heart failure?
 Step 1: Assessment
Disease-Specific Knowledge
Type of Learner Characteristics Sample Approaches to use in
teaching

Visual Prefers pictures, diagrams, Use of copious visual aids,

other visuals process algorithms, and
trigger cards

Auditory Prefers to learn via verbal Use oral descriptions,

instruction; visuals may lectures, podcasts
distract learners

Kinesthetic Prefers to learn via movement Use demonstrations,

and hands-on activities simulations, role playing, as
well as discussion groups,
where possible
 Assessing Health Literacy

3 General Questions:
1. “What was the highest grade you completed in
school?”
2. “How would you rate your ability to read?”
3. “How often do you need to have someone help
you when you read instructions, pamphlets, or
other written material from your doctor or
pharmacy?”
 Assessing Health Literacy:
SOS Method

Letter Stands for… Question Topic Cut Point

"Schooling" Educational Sub-Secondary (6th grade
S attainment or less)
"Opinion" Patient self-rating "Okay" or worse on a 5
O of reading ability point scale (Excellent or
very good, Good, Okay,
Poor, Terrible or very
poor)

S "Support" Help when reading Sometimes or worse on a 5

point scale (Never, Rarely,
Sometimes, Often, Always)
 Additional Barriers to Learning
Functional
Visual Impairment
Hearing Impairment
Decreased mobility
Illness-Related
Pain
Fatigue
Cognitive Impairment
Dementia
Delirium
Depression

Lack of readiness for change

Circumstances

Literacy level

Language barriers

Socio-economic level

Cultural and spiritual beliefs

50% retention of information

 Patient Education - Steps
 Assessment of the Patient – Define patient and family needs
and concerns; observe readiness to learn.
 Motivation – Patients are motivated when they learn how their
lives could improve. Focus on the benefits of education.
 Attitude – Denial, Fear, Anger, Anxiety – all could be barriers
to education. Patient must know that he or she will make gains
by learning new skills.
 Outlook – A patient’s beliefs about their situation could effect
education. Let them know that learning new skills can help
them feel better or slow disease progression.
 Step 2- Patient Education
 Design of the Instruction Plan – Set objectives with your patient;
select materials.
 Goals should focus on what is necessary / critical to patient
survival first.
 Pay attention to patient concerns – they could stand in the way of
progress
 Respect stated limits – if a patient has refused to do something, try
to work around the problem and incorporate something new as best
you can.
 Helping a Patient understands the need for changing behavior
 Step 3- Patient Education
Select a Teaching Strategies and resources– Put the plan in
motion; help patients along the way to reach the objectives you’ve
set together.

 Providing a Good Learning Environment

 Tone of voice, eye contact, and touch vary for all cultural
backgrounds
 Use the knowledge you gained during assessment
 Mixing Education Media
 Choosing the right patient education materials
 Step 3- Patient Education
Select a Teaching Strategies and resources
Potential Statements:
“What would you like to learn more about with regards to your
heart failure?”
“It sounds like you understand a lot about how heart failure works.
How comfortable are you with managing all the medicines?”
“What are your goals before leaving the hospital or after you get
home?”
 Step3- Patient Education
1. Go teach the patient – Understand and adapt to
barriers to learning

 Let your patients know:

 What they should do and why

 When they should expect results

 Possible danger signs to watch for

 What they should do if problems arise

 Whom they should contact for referrals

 Ask the patient if they have any questions or concerns

 Step 4: Go Teach the Patient

 Begin with knowledge of patient’s understanding of his/her

disease, learning styles, and motivation
 Understand and adapt to barriers to learning
 Present material in multiple formats, over multiple episodes,
and in coordination with other care team members
 Step 5 - Patient Education

Evaluate - Evaluation is critical and should be continuous

through all four steps!
 Getting Patient Feedback

 Feedback from the patient and family provides valuable

perspective on the effectiveness of patient education
 Consider surveys, documents for patients to sign,
questionnaires