The nurse’s role and responsibility as health care educator within the healthcare environment is key in the promotion of health for the nurse’s patients. The nurse is the primary educator or the coordinator of education for the patient across various disciplines involved in the care of the patient. The nurse must consider a variety of factors when the nurse is educating the patient and any other people involved in the care of the patient. These factors include socioeconomic factors influencing the patient and the patient’s current state of health. Other factors the nurse should take into consideration when educating the nurse’s patient and those participating in the patient’s care include race, ethnicity, disabilities, poverty, housing status, access to health care, and sex/gender/sexual orientation (Whitney, 2018).
One strategy a nurse can use to educate the nurse’s patient and or caregivers is the Teach-Back strategy. The Teach-Back method is a way to confirm patient’s understanding of information presented to the patient and the patient’s engagement in the learning process (Bickes et al, 2021). The basis of the Teach-Back strategy is forming questions to ask the patient to verify the patient understood information presented to them after the patient has received the information. In this study, the Teach-Back method was found to be “an effective method of reinforcing or confirming patient education” (Bickes et al, 2021).
A behavioral objective is a learning outcome stated in measurable terms which gives direction to a patient’s learning and becomes a basis to evaluate the learning. (Gronlund, N as found in Writing Behavioral Objectives, PNW). Behavioral objectives should be used by the nurse when the nurse is seeking a measurable outcome or measurable improvement in the patient’s health after providing the patient with education towards the desired outcome. For example, if a nurse is developing a plan to educate a patient on how to achieve a normal hemoglobin A1C, the education plan should include methods to lower the patient’s A1C and the measurable goal of the patient’s hemoglobin A1C after the education has been given.
Bickes, D.; Jennings, K.; Feinberg, I. (2021) Health Literacy Strategies to Engage Cancer Patients and Caregivers Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship 12(3) 82-85
Gronlund, N.E. (2004) Writing instructional objectives for teaching and assessment (7th ed). New York City, New York: Pearson College Division
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