Nurse Faculty Experiences Teaching Chronic Illness Self-Management Concepts: An Exploratory Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Chronic Disease Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Chronic disease self-management involves patient activities to manage health changes.
• Nurses may lack formal education in guiding patients through chronic disease self-management.
• Effective patient engagement in self-management is crucial for health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how nurse faculty educate nursing students on chronic disease self-management.
• To identify current approaches and challenges in preparing future nurses for self-management support.
• To understand the integration of self-management principles within nursing curricula.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing semistructured interviews.
• Involved 13 nurse faculty from three universities.
• Explored experiences in teaching self-management concepts for adults with chronic conditions.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged regarding chronic disease self-management in nursing education.
• Theme 1: Conceptualizing and valuing self-management within nursing education.
• Theme 2: Integrating self-management into the curriculum and practice.
• Theme 3: Addressing the influence of healthcare reform on chronic disease care.

Conclusions:

• Chronic disease self-management is complex and continually evolving.
• Nursing education curricula require updates to effectively teach self-management.
• Emphasis should be placed on prevention, self-management strategies, and behavior modification.