Find a quiet, private environment for teaching patient and support person. Freed from distractions, patient and support person will learn more effectively.- Establish environment of mutual trust and respect to enhance learning. Comfort with growing self-awareness, ability to share this awareness with others, receptiveness to new experiences, and consistency between actions and words form the basis of trusting relationship.
- Communicate openly and honestly with patient and encourage parents and others to visit regularly to enhance child's feelings of trust in the staff and comfort within the hospital environment.
- Assess patient's level of knowledge to determine whether patient requires the basic information or reinforcement of previous learning.
- Identify patient's level of cognitive, physical, linguistic, and perceptual development to establish appropriate learning goals.
- Negotiate with patient to develop goals for learning. Involving patient in planning meaningful goals encourages follow-through.
Select teaching strategies (such as discussion, demonstration, role-playing, and visual materials) appropriate for patient's individual learning style (specify) to enhance teaching effectiveness.- Consider patient's life experiences when developing a teaching plan. New information is easier to assimilate if it's built on existing knowledge.
- Provide written materials explaining skills patient is trying to develop and facts patient must remember. Words and pictures will reinforce things the patient must learn to care for self.
- Encourage patient to use memory aids, such as preset alarms on a watch, a calendar for noting scheduled appointments, and a small notepad for recording questions or symptoms, to help compensate for memory lapses.
- Limit the length of each teaching session to avoid information overload.
- Don't place unrealistic demands on patient to avoid exacerbating feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.
- Have patient incorporate learned skills into daily routine during hospitalization (specify skills). This allows patient to practice new skills and receive feedback.
- Answer questions in terms patient can understand. If patient can't understand, refer patient to the physician to ensure patient's right to informed consent is protected.
- Provide all equipment needed for each self-care measure patient must learn. This reduces frustration, aids learning, and minimizes dependence by promoting self-care.
- When teaching self-care measures, go slowly and repeat frequently. Offer small amounts of information, and present it in various ways. By building cognition, patient will be better able to complete self-care measures.
- Have patient practice each task. Provide positive reinforcement each time patient performs task correctly. This encourages desired behavior.
- Encourage family members to participate in patient's learning process to help create an encouraging, therapeutic climate after discharge.
- Have patient give return demonstration of any skills taught. This provides hands-on experience with equipment, builds confidence, and encourages compliance.
- Regularly discuss progress toward goal achievement with the child and family members. Make changes in the care plan as necessary. Evaluation helps to reinforce effective learning techniques and identify ineffective techniques. It allows analysis of progress and redirection of activities as necessary.
Provide patient with names and telephone numbers of resource people or organizations to provide continuity of care and follow-up after discharge.- As needed, arrange for interpreter. Patient who doesn't speak English may understand health-related behaviors, but may need interpreter to express them.
- Refer family members to outside agencies, such as a home health care organization, for assistance after patient's discharge. This ensures continuity of care and assistance with follow-up after discharge.
Suggested NIC Interventions
Behavior Management; Behavior Modification; Decision-Making Support; Energy Management; Discharge Planning; Health Education; Family Support; Health Education; Learning Facilitation; Learning Readiness Enhancement; Support System Enhancement |