Implementing teach-back during patient discharge education

To determine how registered nurses understood the teach-back method and whether such understanding translated to better evaluation of patients' understanding of discharge instructions.

The teach-back method helps nurses confirm whether the information provided to patients is understood. The current literature indicates the benefits of teach-back; however, nurses do not apply the method adequately during discharge teaching.

This study used a qualitative pretest-posttest design with an educational session.

A consecutive sampling method was used. Twelve nurses were interviewed using a discussion guide to gauge their understanding of the teach-back method during the period July to August 2016. This was followed by an educational session on the teach-back method. Nurses then implemented the method on the medical/surgical unit. A second interview was conducted using a questionnaire to evaluate participants' understanding of the method. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti 7 software.

Participants' knowledge of the teach-back method increased. Participants identified benefits associated with the method, but time constraint was a concern.

The findings contribute to an understanding of the teach-back method by nurses. Patient care will benefit if the method is reinforced among nurses through continuing in-service education.