Medical-device user instructions: the patient's need, the nurse's role

This article discusses the provision of adequate education to lay users of medical devices in the home. It specifically focuses on the written instructions that are part of the labeling for these devices, advising nurses on what to look for in determining the effectiveness of instructions for lay users; how to use that information to advise patients and physicians; and how to influence the quality of the instruction manuals developed by the manufacturers of the devices.