Educating Patients: Creating Teaching Moments in Practice
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Cultural considerations The use of the patient’s preferred lan- guage for learning, as mentioned earlier, is vital to effective teaching. Even if com- munication is given through the language that the patient best understands, if cultur- al considerations are not addressed then communication may still be impaired. Un- derstanding and respect for cultural and ethnic differences are also important, as communication can be affected by sub- tle dissimilarities in expression. The way the healthcare professional communi- cates and who the person communicates with are also important cultural consid- erations. The cultural competency of the healthcare professional can determine if communication is effective (Schouten et al., 2020). For cultural considerations, ethnic background is only one factor. Religious beliefs of patients are also part of their background and culture. Patients who are members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) commu- nity also have a culture which needs to be respected (Bass & Nagy, 2022; Schouten et al., 2020). More information on cultural competency will be discussed in Chap- ter 3. Learning styles Each person learns differently, and the most successful learning occurs when the individual’s learning style is taken into con- sideration. It is important for the health- care professional to identify their own learning style as well, and what they will need to do to adapt to the learning styles of others. Learning styles include audito- ry (through listening), visual (by seeing), and tactile (through touching and doing). People may have one primary learning style or a combination that helps them learn best (Maryniak, 2019). Assessments
and strategies for different learning styles will be discussed further in Chapter 3. Developmental level Another important consideration is the developmental level of the patient. Teaching will be provided to parents and caregivers of patients who are infants, toddlers, and preschool children under the age of six, as they are unable to fully comprehend healthcare education (Bas- table, 2021; Maryniak, 2019). School-age children are between 6 and 12 years old. They can participate in patient teaching, although it is primarily provided to parents and caregivers. Use of correct terminology is encouraged for this age group, and they should be en- couraged to touch any equipment that may be used in their care. The child’s at- tention span will be shorter than that of an adult (Bastable, 2021; Maryniak, 2019). Adolescents are between the ages of 12 and 18 years. Teaching can be done with the adolescent separate from the parents or caregivers, but generally in- cludes both. Medical procedures should be explained. Adolescents have the cog- nitive ability to understand and retain in- formation. Respect along with encourag- ing questions and verbalization of fears are important (Bastable, 2021; Maryniak, 2019). Young adults are between 18 and 44 years old, while middle adults are 45 to 64 years old. Families should be included in patient teaching based on the patient’s wishes. All medical procedures should be explained (Bastable, 2021; Maryniak, 2019). Older adults are those ages 65 and old- er. Families should be included if the pa- tient desires, and any caregivers should also participate in patient education. The
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