Tips to improve patient education
Preventing re-hospitalization is a huge responsibility, especially in consideration of costly penalties that are levied for early readmissions. To accomplish this, nurses need to constantly improve patient teaching and education prior to discharge. Some of the things nurses can do to advance patient education include:
• Delegate more responsibilities to support staff and be more focused on patient education.
•Begin educating patients with every encounter from admission.
•Find out what the patient already knows. Correct any misinformation.
•Feed patients information in layman’s terms. Utilize visual aids as often as possible.
•Question their understanding of the care, and plan for the next lesson.
•Use return demonstration when administering care. Involve the patient from the very first treatment.
•Ask the patient to tell you how they would explain (step-by-step) their disease or treatment to their loved one.
•Make sure the patient understands the medications as you administer them. Make sure they understand how and when to refill medications.
•Make sure the patient understands the medications as you administer them. Make sure they understand how and when to refill medications.
