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Introduction
Patient education refers to a process by which health professionals impart some knowledge to the patients with the intention of improving their health status. It is a skills building session in which the health care provider provides the necessary skills to a patient which will be important in the management of a specific disease entity or for the purpose of general wellbeing. Therefore, patient education can either be general or specific to a certain disease entity. When the patient education is specific to a certain disease entity, the patient is told all what concerns that disease (Muma, 1995). He or she will be told what the disease is and how it comes about.
Thus, the patient will be informed of the causes and etiological agents of the disease. He or she will also be told the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease so that he or she will have enough knowledge about this disease. The clinical features will be told to the patient so that he or she will be able to understand why he or she was diagnosed with that disease. This will also help the patient in understanding what the characteristics of the various disease entities are and thus ensure that he or she presents to the hospital when the disease manifests again (Klug, 2007).
The management of the disease is what carries the bulk in patient education. The patient is informed of the various modalities of treatment and told their advantages and disadvantages. The health care provider also suggests the best mode of treatment to the patient and why he or she feels that is the best way to manage the condition. After the patient consents to the treatment, he or she will be educated on what to do in the management.
They will be informed about the drugs they are supposed to take and when. They will also be informed about the effects of the various disease conditions which will help them understand how to deal with them (Rankin, 2005). In addition, they will be taught how to monitor for improvement, for example, in diabetes mellitus; they will be told how they can measure their sugars to check whether they are managing the disease well.
Patient education on the prevention of the occurrence of the disease is also important. The preventive measures can either be given to a certain patient or to a group of people as a public health measure. The patients and the members of the community are told how to prevent the occurrence of a certain disease in the population. The standards which need to be observed by the patients are clearly stated during the education so that the patient will be able to avoid getting in to the same situation again.
For example, in the prevention of diseases like cholera, the patient or the members of the community will be advised to wash their hands whenever they visit a toilet or before they eat. This information will be useful in that it will prevent the occurrence of the disease in the community thus advancing public health in the society (Klug, 2004).
Importance of Patient Education
Patient education is a very important part of the management of the patients. First, it brings about a better understanding of the disease they have been diagnosed with. This means that the patient will be able to understand better what the disease is, what the likely complications are and what disability it will cause. This will avoid a situation where the patient will be moving from one physician to another seeking some treatment.
Without patient education, the patients will not be able to understand clearly what they are suffering from. This is very important for all diseases but more important in diseases which have a chronic course. In such diseases, the patients will be moving from one patient to another in an effort to get better treatment. They will not be able to understand why they still have symptoms of the disease although they have sought medical help.
Education of the patients eliminates this problems, makes the patient understand that the symptoms are there because they will take some time before they disappear. As a result, the patient will not waste a lot of money seeking treatment from many doctors or other health care providers. In addition, it will boost the confidence of the patient on the health care provider since the patient will come to realize what he or she was told is true(Klug, 2002).
Patient education improves the patients understanding of the various methods of treatment of a certain disease condition. This is because all the available methods of treatment for that specific disease are made known to the patient who then chooses which method to use. The patient thus makes an informed decision on which one he or she should choose. This helps the patient in choosing the method which is most appropriate for him or her.
Different patients are under different circumstances and thus generalization of the management options of the patients is not a good way of management. The patients are supposed to which method they want depending on other circumstances such as culture which affect the mode of treatment. Therefore, proper education of the patient on the various available modalities of treatment of that illness helps the patient make an informed decision on which method he or she should use in the management of that condition. As a result, there will be better outcome as the method of management has come from the patient and not from the health care provider (Dreeben, 2009).
Patient education helps in eliminating anxiety which is associated with most of the diseases especially chronic illnesses. Patients are anxious when they are told that they are suffering from a certain disease. Other patients tend to get depressed when they get certain diagnosis which are life threatening. This will do more harm to the patient and education of the patient ensures that he or she understands the condition better.
Education of the patient will make the patient gain confidence in self and thus make him or her make sober decisions regarding the management of the case. The patient will also dismiss the fear which is associated with certain diseases when he or she has been educated properly. Therefore, patient education is important in preventing development in anxiety in patients who have been diagnosed with some diseases which are said to be dangerous to their health (Klug, 2002).
Proper patient education increases the compliance of the patient with treatment. When the patient is allowed to choose for him or herself, he or she is likely to adhere to the management better than if the patient was forced to accept a certain treatment modality. First, the patient will own up to the treatment modality and will have a thinking that it was from him or herself. Thus he or she will have a sense of ownership in the decision. As a result, he or she will be more likely to adhere to the treatment better than if the patient was forced. In addition, the explanation to the patient the benefits of the treatment will help him or her to stick to it because he or she knows why they are using that treatment.
The patient will be able to comply with the instructions of the health care provider and ensure that he or she does not decline the various management procedures. The patient will also be aware of the disadvantages of boycotting the treatment or failure to cooperate with the healthcare provider which will make him or her less likely to refuse to cooperate. In addition, the effective education of the patient on the disease condition and the management makes the patients more motivated to adhere to the treatment (Bastable, 2006).
Education of the patients make them understand the reason as to why they have to spent a lot of money in the management of the condition. Most patients will not want to use their money unless they have a good reason as to why they are spending that money. Therefore, educating the patients makes him or her be able to pay for certain services without much difficulties or resistance. However, if the patients are not properly educated about the condition they are suffering from and the management strategies, they will find it hard to pay for some of the services.
Some will even opt not to pay undergo those procedures which are expensive not because they lack the money to pay for them but because they have not been shown a good reason as to why they have to pay for that. Thus, patient education enables the patients understand better the need for the various management procedures so that they will be able to pay without many problems.
The outcome of the condition is likely to be better if the patient has had enough education about his or her condition. Educating the patient on the best practices and how to take care of himself or herself enables him to ensure that there is proper management of the disease condition the patient is suffering from. This will result in a better prognosis as opposed to when the patient has not received enough education. In addition, the patient will be taught on how he or she can prevent future recurrence.
They will be informed of the various conditions which they must meet so that they are at a lower risk of getting the disease again or getting complications of the disease. If they are educated about that, they will definitely take care of themselves better than if they were not properly educated. This will help in the prevention of the disease occurring again or developing complications and thus a better outcome in the patient (Lorig, 2001).
Education of the patient is a right to him so when the healthcare providers educate their patients, they are respecting their rights. This is a way of enhancing the human dignity and ensuring that the treatment or the management of the patient does not interfere with the basic rights of the patients. Education the patient on the various available modalities of treatment of certain diseases and giving them the advantages and disadvantages of each of the strategy places the patient in a better position to choose which method to use in the treatment. With this, the doctor will be able to achieve treatment of the patient while respecting the right to choose what to be done to them.
This is as opposed to a situation where the healthcare provider does not the patient of the available treatment modalities and letting him or her choose which is best for him. In this case, the healthcare provider will just impose the treatment on the patient thus denying the patient a right to choose. On the other hand, failing to educate the patient and letting him or her choose the treatment modality interferes with the rights of the patient (Bastable, 2006).
This is because the patient will not be able to make an informed decision on what method to use and thus may make wrong decisions. In that case, although the patients right to choose has been observed, his or her right to have quality health care will not be observed. Without proper education, the patient cannot make decisions rationally and thus will not choose a certain modality of treatment because its the most appropriate but because of lack of enough information about the disease management. This can have very profound effects on the outcome of the disease on the patient (Falvo, 2010).
Cases
Example of the Concept
A patient presents to the emergency department with diabetes mellitus type two. After taking of a good history and physical examination, the physician makes an impression of the above disease. The nurse is then called in to carry out the management. First, the nurse starts by explaining to the patient what Diabetes is and how it comes about. She then goes on to tell the patient the various investigations such as random blood sugar which are necessary for the confirmation of the diagnosis.
After that, the nurse gives the patients the options for the treatment including dietary habits and medications and allows the patient to make a decision. The patient chooses to use both of them. The nurse then informs the patient the prognosis of the disease and how he should conduct himself. He teaches the patient how to check the random blood sugar so that she can be monitoring her glucose throughout.
This example shows how a healthcare provider should handle a case. It clearly explains that the purpose of the healthcare providers is not just establishing the disease the patient is suffering from and immediately deciding what should be done to the patient. Patient education was first done well to the patient so that she understand s her condition, the reasons as to why the physician thinks it is diabetes type two and what are the manifestations.
The physician also explained to the patient the various tests so that the patient understands the rationale for the carrying out of those test and why she had to pay for them. After explaining to the patient the various methods of management of diabetes type two, the patient was allowed to choose the modality which she thought was the best for her. She thus decided to use the diet and drugs. This will promote compliance as the patient understands why she needs to comply with the management and the decision on what management is to be followed was made by the patient. This shows how the patient is supposed to be treated and not just prescribing investigations and drugs without consulting the patient first.
A case contradicting the Concept
A patient who presents to the emergency department and the physician gets a good history and physical examination after which he decides that the patient is suffering from hypertension. He then orders for investigations and instructs the nurse to give diuretics to the patient to control the hypertension. The patient is however not told about his condition and remains wondering why he should pay larger amounts of money for investigations and drugs. When the patient goes home, he declines to come back to the clinic for follow up.
In this case, it is clear that the healthcare provider did not care about the education of the patient on the disease he is suffering from. The physician just saw the patient and after taking a good history and physical examination decided that the patient was suffering from hypertension. However, the healthcare provider did not make an effort of educating the patient on all the relevant things regarding this condition. Thus, the patient had no compliance for the treatment given, the reason as to why the hospital lost follow-up on the patient.
Borderline Case
A patient with diabetes presents to the hospital and is seen by a physician who makes an impression of diabetes type 2. After the decision, the doctor just gives some counseling to the patient after which he orders for some tests without clearly explaining to the patient why they are being done. In addition, he explains the patient the various treatment modalities and lets the patient choose the one which is most appropriate for him. The patient cooperates although he does not unde5rstand why he has to pay for the investigations.
In this case, although the patient was given the counseling on the treatment modalities, the patient was not given all the necessary patient education on the definitions and the causes of diabetes mellitus type two. In addition, he was not given education on the rationale of using the investigations and thus was not able to understand why he was being told to do those tests. Thus, this is an example of a case where the healthcare provider fails to give all the appropriate patient education so that the patient can make decisions based on enough knowledge of the disease condition.
Conclusion
Patient education is very important in the management of a patient and all the healthcare providers must ensure that they do not just make decisions on the management of the patient without explaining to the patient the reasons for that. Education of the patient will ensure that the patient adheres to the management modality and removes anxiety. There is a better compliance when the patient is educated well about his condition and this will help in the recovery of the patient. Patient education removes fear and anxiety in the patient especially for the diseases which are associated with a significant threat to the life of the patient. Thus, patient education is very important in management of the disease of the patient.
Reference List
Bastable, S. B. (2006). Essentials of patient education. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Dreeben, O. (2009). Patient education in rehabilitation. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Falvo, D. R. (2010). Effective Patient Education: A Guide to Increased Adherence. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Klug, B. R. (2002). Measurement Tools in Patient Education. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Klug, B. R. (2004). Advances in patient education. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Klug, B. R. (2007). The practice of patient education: A case study approach. London: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Lorig, Kate, (2001). Patient education: a practical approach. California: SAGE.
Muma, R. D. (1995). Patient education: a practical approach. United Kingdom: McGraw- Hill Professional.
Rankin, S. H. (2005). Patient education in health and illness. United Kingdom: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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