Educating Patients

I have now had several education attempts this summer. I must say the first individual lesson I did felt like a failure. Actually neither of the first two went very well. Both of the gentlemen had cardiac problems and diabetes and I did not know which one to focus on. I prepared two mini lessons, and then after discussing my dilemma with the RD I decided to let the patient choose. Then another health professional said she thought one patient needed to be educated on sodium control, but from my previous encounters with him I had a suspicion he wanted to know about diabetes.

In my first session we discussed both sodium restriction and diabetes. Unfortunately, I think I miscalculated this patient’s understanding of nutrition and desire to learn; I overwhelmed him with too much information. My second cardiac diabetic patient was not very knowledgeable, but he was very interested in what I had to teach, and seemed to want more information even though he was only partially able to understand the concepts. I talked about glucose control and how to read food labels. I also mentioned sodium restriction, since he was such an eager learner. In hindsight, I see that I covered too much information.

Following these sessions I met with my preceptor. She provided me with some materials on educating patients, and reminded me of one of the many pamphlets I had received in my 3 ½ days of orientation. I used the suggestions today when I briefly educated a patient about Warfarin and Vitamin K, and again when I educated a gentleman and his caregivers on NDD1. I felt much better about these instructions; they were shorter and more focused.

Below are some tips from the pamphlets I received.

Pamphlet 1: Krame’s on Demand Patient Education

1. Speak Less and Listen More: Start by asking patients what they know and what they want to learn. Allow them to speak uninterrupted for the first 2-3 minutes.

2. Slow Down and Use Plain Simple Language: Use short sentences and 1 or 2 syllable words. Avoid medical terms. Use models, or show or draw pictures, to help understanding and recall.

3. Teach Less, Not More: Teach most important information first. Best to focus on 1 or 2 major points; avoid going over more than 3 or 4 points. Limit to “must know” and review and repeat.

4. Use Teach-Back or Show-Me to Finish Teaching Session: Ask patient to show new skill or explain new knowledge. Provide plenty of praise.

Pamphlet 2: Ask me 3

I was told every patient should know these things after talking to their doctor, but I think it applies to conversations with dietitians as well.

1. What is my main problem?

2. What do I need to do?

3. Why is it important for me to do this?

I hope you find these tips helpful!