ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to find out how well nurses in Enugu’s tertiary health institutions knew about patient teaching, how they felt about it, and how they practiced it. The study’s goals were to find out how well nurses knew about patient teaching, how they felt about patient teaching, and how they practiced patient teaching. The study was conducted in two tertiary health institutes in Enugu using a cross-sectional descriptive survey approach. The two study institutions were chosen using a simple random sampling procedure. The study’s target population was 978 nurses. A proportional sample of 430 nurses was chosen for the study. Knowledge and practice were assessed using a self-developed questionnaire with open and closed ended questions, and attitude was assessed using a four-point modified likert scale. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbatch alpha statistics, yielding a dependability coefficient of 0.80. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Tables with percentages, averages, and standard deviations were used to present the findings. At the P0.05 level of significance, the Chi-square, students’ t-test, and ANOVA were used to test hypotheses. All of the respondents (425=100%) had heard of patient teaching, 50.4 percent correctly identified the meaning of patient teaching, 94.6 percent had knowledge of the content and context of patient teaching, and 72.7 percent had knowledge techniques, according to the findings. 80.9 percent were aware of the different forms of patient teaching, and 85.9% were aware of the different instructional strategies used in patient teaching. In both health institutions, nurses’ attitudes toward patient teaching were good (means of 3.00 SD= 0.37 (UNTH) (3.06, SD = 0.37 (NOHE)). Nurses’ patient teaching practice was modest. 98.1 percent of nurses engage in patient teaching on a daily basis, 65.2 percent do so on a weekly basis, 59.9% do not prepare for patient teaching, 62.7 percent employ spontaneous patient teaching, 87.1 percent evaluate patient teaching, and only 42.7 percent do so on a monthly basis. Because they do not have a special chart for documentation, 64.0 percent of nurses do not document patient teaching. There were significant differences (P0.05) in nurses’ knowledge of patient teaching and practice of patient teaching between the two institutions.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
What is the well-known parable? If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you teach him to fish, he will eat for a lifetime?, is a good example of the value of patient teaching or education. Patient education or patient teaching entails assisting patients in becoming more knowledgeable about their illness, medical procedures, and treatment options (Martin, 2012). Patient education predates the nursing profession. This can be observed in Florence Nightingale’s efforts as the creator of modern nursing in improving the care of war casualties during the Crimean War. Also included in the Nightingale’s vision of nursing was the responsibility of nurses in public health promotion, which was only partially addressed in the Nightingale’s vision of nursing. While other health professionals such as physicians, pharmacists, registered dieticians, and others contribute in patient education, nurses as educators play a critical role in promoting patient health. This is because nurses are the closest health workers to their patients. (Kelliher, 2011; Daniels, 2004) Nurses assess the patient’s understanding of treatment approaches and make any necessary corrections. The nurse frequently acts as a physician interpreter for the patient/client, explaining, clarifying, and referring. Patient education helps patients adjust their behaviors, which leads to positive adaption. As a result, patient education entails lowering change phobia, anxiety, and anticipatory stress. Every professional nurse’s role in every practice setting – schools, communities, workplaces, healthcare delivery sites, and homes – is to teach patients. The demand for high-quality patient teaching (education) has never been higher than it is now. The present trend of shorter hospital stays and less time spent by healthcare professionals with patients has increased the demand for effective patient education. In addition, a growing number of chronically sick patients are at home, requiring nursing support from family, friends, and volunteers. Patients, as well as their family and friends, should have a basic awareness of the illness and how to manage it. Nurse educators improved client health and well-being while lowering the demand for professional services (Taylor, Lillis, Lemore, 2007). When clients have specific learning needs, nurses take on the role of instructor. The continuation of the assisting relationship benefits the teacher-student relationship.