As a patient advocate, you play a vital role in helping your clients understand their health conditions, treatments, and options. However, not every client has the same level of health literacy, learning preferences, or cultural background. How can you tailor your client education to meet their individual needs and preferences? Here are some tips and strategies to consider.
Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and use health information to make informed decisions. It is influenced by factors such as education, language, culture, and cognitive skills. To tailor your client education, you need to assess your client's health literacy level and use appropriate communication methods. For example, you can use the teach-back method, where you ask your client to repeat or demonstrate what you have taught them in their own words. You can also use plain language, avoid jargon, and provide visual aids or written materials.
Living in a rural area, this is more important than anyone can know. Some of the patients I care for did not even finish middle school. Finding materials to meet the patients on their level can help improve compliance
Siempre se debe entender el contexto social y cultural del interlocutor. En el momento de presentarse pueden hacerse algunas preguntas orientadoras queidentifiquen. esas variables. Solo entonces se podrá crear un ámbito de confianza para definir problemas y esbozar algunas estrategias. Como profesionales nunca pedir que las familias decidan por nosotros sino justamente ponderar que podemos aconsejar y en qué cosas la ayuda de la familia apuntalara decisiones técnicas y varias veces morales.
Keep in mind these skills can be quickly overwhelmed by an undiagnosed delirium. Assedd health first, definiw goals, manage expectations of all involved
Health literacy is crucial for informed decision-making and improved well-being. Factors influencing health literacy include education, language barriers, and cognitive skills. Low literacy can lead to healthcare disparities and negative public health consequences. Promoting health literacy involves improving access to reliable information, clear communication, and healthcare providers' role in patient education. Digital health tools can also enhance health education and information access.
Different clients may have different preferences for how they learn and retain information. Some may prefer to listen, others to read, and others to watch or do. To tailor your client education, you need to identify your client's preferred learning style and use a variety of teaching methods. For example, you can use verbal explanations, written materials, videos, demonstrations, or interactive activities. You can also ask your client what they prefer and how they learn best.
In my professional journey, I've observed that individuals tend to possess a blend of learning modalities, for example audio, visual, and proprioception. Various questionnaires are accessible to discern these preferences. Here's a straightforward query: When you acquire a new mobile phone, do you lean towards immediately exploring it hands-on, opt for instructional videos, or delve into the user manual? It's fascinating how our learning styles manifest in everyday scenarios like this!
It is extremely important these days to identify the teaching method best works for individual patients. Some of the patients like to learn by reading, some likes by demonstration, and some others through hands on experience.The delivery method matters as well depends on patient preference. I would like to use the term mobile first these days instead of mobile friendly as more of the population are using smartphone as their primary method of learning and communication. So the educators or leaders should be focusing on these factors which affects patients learning. Finally teach back can be used as validation to make sure patients understand the education provided to them.
It’s important to also identify accessibility for learning materials. Do you have video education but need internet to view? Patients may be coming to you without internet availability in their home or the ability to work computerized devices. Are you giving written instructions to a patient who cannot read well? Meeting the patient where they are at and working with them to understand their conditions or plan of care will always optimize patient outcomes.
Culture can affect how your client perceives health, illness, and treatment. It can also influence their values, beliefs, and preferences. To tailor your client education, you need to respect your client's cultural background and avoid assumptions or stereotypes. For example, you can use culturally appropriate language, examples, and materials. You can also ask your client about their cultural beliefs and practices and how they affect their health choices.
Respect when communicating with your client is key to any effective communication. The stakes are high in a clinical setting and making sure you have communicated your point effectively by asking your client to explain it back to you is indeed a very effective tool.
Client education is not a one-way transmission of information. It is a collaborative process that involves your client's participation and feedback. To tailor your client education, you need to involve your client in the education process and empower them to take an active role in their health care. For example, you can ask your client about their goals, concerns, and expectations. You can also encourage your client to ask questions, express their opinions, and share their experiences.
Someway to get started is by: emphasizing the importance of rethinking client education as a collaborative process. It emphasizes the need for understanding clients' needs and goals, co-creating learning objectives and strategies, encouraging active participation, and tailoring education to individual preferences and learning styles. It also suggests incorporating feedback loops for continuous improvement in client education programs. By involving clients in the process and tailoring it to their needs, educators can create a more effective learning experience, leading to better outcomes and client satisfaction. My text concludes by emphasizing the importance of embracing collaboration in client education.
I have found it helpful to gain a patient’s understanding of the topic prior to educating them. This allows for me to see the level of their health literacy as well as involve a patient from the get-go. I can create my teaching points using their previous knowledge as a foundation.
Client education is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that requires evaluation and adjustment. To tailor your client education, you need to evaluate the effectiveness of your teaching methods and the outcomes of your client's learning. You can also adjust your client education based on your client's progress, feedback, and changing needs. For example, you can use quizzes, surveys, or follow-up calls to assess your client's knowledge, satisfaction, and behavior. You can also revise your teaching plan, materials, or strategies based on your client's results, preferences, or challenges.
One thing I have found helpful is providing smaller bits of information and building on that education over a period of time. It provides the patient time to think about the information and ask plenty of questions so they can build a true understanding of the information.
In my experience, evaluating and adjusting client education entails that continuous client education is an ongoing process that involves evaluating teaching methods, collecting feedback, analyzing learning outcomes, monitoring engagement, making adjustments to improve education, adapting teaching styles to individual client needs, incorporating interactive activities, and providing ongoing support and resources. This process involves gathering client feedback, analyzing learning outcomes, monitoring engagement levels, and adjusting teaching methods to meet individual client needs. By embracing the continuous process of tailoring client education for maximum impact, educators can enhance their services.
It's noteworthy that the "Costello" model, as mentioned in the Lancet 2013 by Prost A and colleagues, depicted a reduction in neonatal mortality in low-resource settings by creating participatory groups for pregnant women to meet once a month. This intervention can be helpful for other groups as well.
Apologize for raising new topic but i want to get involved in research if you know a direction to get involved please lets do so.