Touring Arkansas: A Statewide Project to Instruct Nurses and Patient Educators on Consumer Health Resources

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Medical Education
• Information Literacy

Background:

• Nurses are key patient educators, often at the bedside.
• Access to consumer health resources education varies, especially between urban and rural settings.
• Academic medical centers can support rural health education initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a pilot project educating nurses and patient educators on consumer health resources.
• To provide accessible continuing education for healthcare professionals.
• To bridge the information gap in rural healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• Developed a one-hour in-person and online class.
• Included continuing education credits to incentivize participation.
• Created an accompanying online guide for ongoing reference.

Main Results:

• The pilot project successfully educated local nurses and patient educators.
• The training addressed the need for consumer health resource education.
• The model is adaptable for reaching healthcare professionals in diverse settings.

Conclusions:

• Consumer health resource education is vital for nurses acting as patient educators.
• Librarians can play a crucial role in delivering this education, even in rural areas.
• Funding can facilitate the expansion of these educational programs to underserved communities.