Reading materials used in the preparation of nurses for the teaching role

Patient/client teaching is an important responsibility of the practicing nurse. Various health manpower task forces have recommended that all professionals engaged in health teaching be better prepared for this role. Others have cited the need for client/family education programs as one of the national priorities in nursing research. A study was undertaken to ascertain patient-teaching content and types of assigned readings used in baccalaureate nursing programs throughout the United States. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 108 schools of nursing. The response rate was 83%. Fewer than one half of the nursing programs reported using resources that included the actual process of health teaching. Most schools did report the inclusion of key teaching concepts, such as learning theories and principles of teaching in their curricula, yet the assigned readings to provide the content were absent.