The evaluation of medical college students' preparation to propagate health education

The propagation of health education is within the range of nurses' professional duties. It necessitates the use of specific methods and techniques of work. "Inasmuch as the doctor treats, it is the nurse who creates best possible conditions for recovering and keeping health conditions permitting treatment or prevention" (3, 12). The increased level of general education among people and changes in modern nursing make the nurse face new tasks in her work. Nurse must be qualified in the field of health education if she works in the out-patient medical service as well as in hospital. She must be able to convince people about the necessity of changing life style, harmful and improper habits. The fulfillment of this difficult, yet important task may change patient's and his family's health habits and behaviour. So, nowadays the nurse must combine two functions: health-nursing called health-missioner's work with sick-nursing (1, 4, 9). Work in the field of health education requires high level of professional knowledge, skills, methods, recognition of educational and sanitary needs of a social group, personal direct influence based on proper social attitude, which is very important (10, 11). Health education is best and most effectively propagated in situations of individual contact with the patient (7). Patients seeking help in medical service institutions are interested in their health and want to do something in the field (8). The analysis of nurse's and midwife's positions shows that work in out-patient health service and in hospital offers a close contact with the patient and his environment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)