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Patient education.
1School of Nursing, Oregon Health Sciences University.
Annual Review of Nursing Research
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Developing a theory of patient education instruction requires understanding patient characteristics, nurse teaching skills, and healthcare settings. Research confirms patient education
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education Research
- Health Professions Education
- Instructional Theory Development
Background:
- Patient education is a critical nursing intervention with established effectiveness.
- Existing research provides a foundation for developing a comprehensive theory of instruction.
- A theoretical framework is needed to guide effective patient education strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize 120 studies on patient education to identify key variables for an instructional theory.
- To explore patient characteristics, nurse teacher attributes, and healthcare setting factors influencing patient learning outcomes.
- To guide future research directions for advancing patient education theory and practice.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and categorization of 120 studies related to patient education.
- Analysis of variables including patient demographics, psychological factors, nurse characteristics, teaching strategies, and healthcare settings.
- Grouping studies based on five categories of variables crucial for instructional theory.
Main Results:
- Patient characteristics (demographics, illness details, educational level, family support) significantly impact learning.
- Psychological variables interact with teaching approaches to influence outcomes.
- Nurse's educational preparation, motivation, and values are important, though under-researched.
- Healthcare setting characteristics (organizational structure, quality assurance) are significant variables.
- Diverse teaching strategies show promise at the operational level but require further theoretical abstraction.
Conclusions:
- Patient education effectiveness is well-established, with positive outcomes linked to various strategies and populations.
- Further systematic research is needed on patient, nurse, and setting variables to develop a robust instructional theory.
- Future research should focus on unique aspects of patient education, encourage replication, and link theory with practice.