Patient teaching in the ambulatory setting

Tremendous growth in the ambulatory setting has made patient education an integral part of health care in that setting. Numerous factors can hinder the implementation of patient education. Institutional variables include time, environment, and money. Acuity, psychosocial issues, and available resources are patient-centered variables. In order to promote effective patient education in an ambulatory setting, nurses need to be involved actively in planning and presenting material and in evaluating patient learning. In addition, nurses should be knowledgeable about the content being presented. The type of environment in which the teaching occurs and the strategies utilized in patient education facilitate the information exchange. The nurse and client must develop trusting relationships built on effective communication skills by both client and nurse. The trend toward fostering the patient as an active partner in health care can be accomplished through the teaching of communication skills as well as prevention, management, and self-care skills.