Therapeutic education is a complex of essential actions to help patients manage their treatment and prevent possible sequela. This activity provides an additional therapeutic effect, along with pharmacological, physiotherapeutic measures. The education leads to an improvement in the quality and life expectancy of patients with chronic diseases, improves the quality of care, and reduces the cost of treatment in a medical institution. The nurse teaches patients and members of their families skills in self-care, maternity, medication intake, nutrition, and adequate physical activity.
An example is the administration of the so-called diabetes school. Its purpose is not only to provide the patient’s medical knowledge of diabetes but also to change the ideas about the disease and its treatment progressively, the ability to reverse it (Yeh et al., 2018). Classes are held with patients to teach the technique of injecting, calculating the dosage of insulin, provide information about the disease, the prevention of complications, and the dietary guidelines.
Patient education should be carried out by specially trained medical staff using effective training programs for the long-term treatment of chronic illness. The nurse involved in the education of patients should be a truly competent person. Sometimes nurses claim that after their undergraduate education, they are not prepared to engage in proper patient teaching (Richard et al., 2018). Nurses should have the skills to collect information, be able to analyze the data obtained, plan their actions, and implement them, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient, and have pedagogical techniques. According to Centrella-Nigro and Alexander (2017), there is a need for quality nursing care in society; it is necessary to train nurses in the basics of pedagogy. Patients’ health and wellbeing depend on the relation between education and satisfaction.
Patient education is an important function of nursing as a nurse helps patients to adapt to their condition and maintain the highest possible comfortable living standard.
The study explains why patient teaching is a priority in clinical practice. Moreover, it clearly describes the role of nurses in patient education, providing effective teaching. It is determined whether there is a direct link between the quality of patient education and patient satisfaction. Furthermore, there are specific clinical practice areas, where this practice can be used.
The need for high-quality nursing care in society leads to training certified nurses with specific knowledge for work in hospitals and clinics. Professional nurses should be pedagogically competent and do critical thinking with an awareness of patients’ particular needs. To solve a problem, a nurse should know the purpose and tasks of teaching as long as the methods and forms of training. Education is an essential part of clinical practice; it is considered as one of the main features of health care. Advanced technologies and multidisciplinary treatment have made it possible for people with severe diseases to live long and to lead an active lifestyle. The patient’s role in treatment has changed; the patient has become a direct participant in the therapy, while the nurse’s responsibility is teaching patients new skills.
References
Centrella-Nigro, A. M., & Alexander, C. (2017). Using the teach-back method in patient education to improve patient satisfaction. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 48(1), 47-52.
Yeh, M. Y., Wu, S. C., & Tung, T. H. (2018). The relation between patient education, patient empowerment and patient satisfaction: A cross-sectional-comparison study. Applied Nursing Research, 39, 11-17.
Richard, E., Evans, T., & Williams, B. (2018). Nursing students’ perceptions of preparation to engage in patient education. Nurse Education in Practice, 28, 1-6.