Analyzing the Role of the Nurse as an Educator - Coursework Example

Analyzing the Role of the Nurse as an Educator Introduction The nurse has various roles in the field of health care. She is a health care provider,an advocate, a caregiver, a support system, and an educator. These various roles help ensure that the patient is receiving appropriate and adequate health care while he is in the care of the nurse and the health care institution. As an educator, the nurse helps to ensure that the nursing practice is a continuing learning experience not just for herself, but also for the patient, the other nurses, and the other medical health professionals. A great part of the treatment, recovery, and the general process of staying healthy is related to the prevention and early detection of the disease process. And, this process can be ensured if the patient is taught how to stay healthy, how to prevent illness, and how to detect early symptoms of a disease. Before the patient is discharged and even while the patient is admitted in the hospital, the role of educating the patient on health care practices lies with the nurse. It is therefore important for the nurse to also be equipped with the necessary knowledge which can later be imparted to the patient. This paper shall discuss the nurse as an educator of patients using various examples from practice in correlation with literature related to the subject matter. It shall focus on the Singapore setting of nursing practice. It shall also discuss the role of the nurse as an educator of other nurses also using examples from practice and in correlation with literature related to the subject matter. This paper shall also discuss the role of the nurse as an educator of herself using related literature on the subject matter. Recommendations for improving the practice of nursing shall then be drawn from the discussion. A recommendation on how the practice of nursing can be improved in Singapore shall also be covered by this paper. Discussion: Educator of Patients The nurse is an educator of patients. Among chronic care patients who need the necessary patient teaching upon discharge from the hospital or health care institutions, the role of the nurse lies in ensuring that the patient is thoroughly aware of the important precautions of his disease and on the safety precautions that he must now apply in order to prevent the deterioration of his health. In Singapore, their population is rapidly ageing (Cheah, 2001). Consequently, many of their citizens are afflicted with chronic diseases and they need long-term care. With the strain in the nursing population, there is a need to resort to alternate and more productive ways of improving health care services. Health care education is one of these applicable remedies and interventions. For example, in a paper by Stewart and Sheehan (1991) the authors set out to assess the role of the nurse in educating patients with pacemakers. They pointed out in the course of their research that the process of educating cardiac patients on how to live an active life after the implantation of a permanent pacemaker implant is a huge challenge for nurses (Stewart & Sheehan, 1991). The study was able to emphasize that the role of the nurse as an educator of patients with pacemakers also lies in administering adequate educational materials covering the inpatient and outpatient stages of care. Through this patient education process, it is possible to also improve the patient’s positive attitude and independence (Stewart & Sheehan, 1991). The authors pointed out that through patient education the nurse is able to follow-up on her patients. Moreover, the different guidelines for the proper evaluation of “pacemaker function, detection of malfunction, and reprogramming of techniques are provided” through patient education can also be imparted to the patient (Stewart & Sheehan, 1991, p. 32). This study points out that the role of the nurse as an educator of the patient very much relies on helping the patient adjust to his disease and all the pertinent demands to stabilize and prevent the worsening of his disease. In this instance, we note how the nurse’s role as educator is primarily about maintaining the patient’s health and preventing the deterioration of his condition. A book by Timmins (2005, p. 99) also emphasizes that patient education is an important part of healthcare because “it is a process of assisting individuals to change behavior”. The nurses can provide patients with information about their health and to engage the patient in becoming a partner in his own health. Nurses spend the most time with patients. Therefore, they are often the best persons to impart health information to patients, especially those with cardiovascular affectations. They can easily and appropriately impart information like patient condition, “risk factors (lifestyle factors), medications, cardiac anatomy, and physiology…” to the patients (Timmins, 2005, p. 99). These nurses can also equip themselves with the appropriate tools in order to accomplish their role as educator. They can use various teaching aids like videos and booklets in order to impart information more succinctly to patients. Timmins (2005) also points out that one of the more crucial first steps in the process of patient education is on the assessment of patient learning needs and readiness to learn. In assessment, it is important for the nurse to be equipped with the necessary skills in communication and in the theories in adult learning. It is a collaborative process where the patient is encouraged to share with his nurse his pertinent needs (Timmins, 2005). For nurses in Singapore, there is a need to assess the needs of the general population – especially those needs which are most prevalent and which would require the most immediate attention from the health care industry. Consequently, through the assessment process, the nurse is able to identify gaps in the patient’s knowledge about his disease and in the interventions which have to be implemented in his favor. By knowing how ready and receptive the patient is in learning about his disease and related information, the nurse can easily impart knowledge to her patient. This assessment process can also include information on the patient’s beliefs about health and on his personal preferences about health interventions (Timmins, 2005). Some patients in Singapore would very likely have cultural and religious preferences in health care. Hence, there is a need for the nurses to assess the preferences of the patients. The planning process that goes with patient education involves the target goals which each patient must learn to maintain and monitor – for instance, preventing low Hemoglobin (Hb) levels at a certain level and instructing the patient on how to meet these goals. Goals like instructing the patient the ideal Hb range; outlining possible quality of life improvements which will help the patient meet the Hb target range; helping the patient understand the different possible medications which can be used by the patient to control anemia; and to know the signs and symptoms of anemia, as well as the conditions which may worsen the anemia and then to report these conditions to the attending medical professionals (Wingard, 2005). As an educator it is also important for the nurse to fashion the goals according to individual patient needs. What may work for one patient, may not necessarily work for another patient; it is therefore important for the nurse to know her patient and her patient’s needs and conditions well. By fashioning goals and objectives based on individual patient needs, the patient teaching or education process can be optimized (Wingard, 2005). Individual patient characteristics may include: age, gender, race/ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, socioeconomic status, disabilities, language or dialect, academic level, ability to comprehend and verbal skills. The process of implementation which would follow a thorough assessment and planning process would help ensure that the patient is well-engaged in the learning process and not alienated by the information being imparted to him (Wingard, 2005). Patient education in Singapore should not be counterintuitive. After all, it is meant for the patients, not the nurses and the other health care professionals. Therefore, the information imparted to the patients should be based on the patient’s needs and his distinct characteristics. Educator of other nurses As an educator, it is also part of a nurse’s responsibility to help impart knowledge and update the knowledge of the other nurses regarding patient care. In this way, the nurses in Singapore can help educate each other and be better nurses and health care professionals. The cooperative learning process is an essential part of the nursing profession. In a paper by Goodfellow (1995), the author sought to evaluate the cooperative learning process and its effectiveness as a nursing teaching method. The study covered mainly undergraduate nursing students who were more likely to be engaged in the cooperative learning process. The author was able to establish that formal and informal cooperative learning groups help facilitate the learning process and the development of clinical research designs which can be used by students and other nurses in their practice (Goodfellow, 1995). This paper emphasizes that through a shared and cooperative learning process in Singapore, imparting knowledge to other nurses within the practice is easier to achieve. As an educator, it is also important for the nurse to share her knowledge with other nurses, especially to those who are new to the field or the practice. In a paper by Spouse (1998), the author emphasized that nursing and the learning process it involves, is a complex blend of affective, practical, and cognitive factors. Nursing students spend most of their time during their exposure in the health care setting being dependent on the professional nurses. The registered nurses and the other professionals have a burden of engaging these students in the sophisticated activities in the clinical practice. The nurses have a responsibility of challenging the understanding of students in promoting the development of professional knowledge (Spouse, 1998). The paper also revealed that a close and facilitative relationship between the nurse and the student nurses are important elements in enabling students in activities which contribute to professional development (Spouse, 1998). By working with other nurses, student nurses can learn the many practical matters about the clinical practice – and to muster their enthusiasm and commitment to their professional development. Consequently, with this knowledge sharing, students are encouraged to interact with other people in the clinical environment and to learn independently of their mentors, their professors, and other students (Spouse, 1998). This paper points out how important it is for nurses in the clinical practice to assist other nurses, especially student nurses, about the different applications of nursing in the practical setting. The clinical training in Singapore needs to undertake a shared and cooperative approach in order to improve not only the performance of the individual, but of the group as well. Educator of self The nurse is also an educator of herself. In order to accomplish this challenge, she is called on to equip herself with the necessary tools in order to ensure that the patient receives quality health care. The basic education which a nurse goes through is an important foundation in acquiring knowledge and skills which would later be applied by the nurse in practice. What comes after the basic education would be continuing education which is just as important, sometimes, even more so, than basic education (Japan International Cooperation Agency, 2005). Basic education of the nurse covers aspects like: improving the capacity in policy planning and implementation; improving the quality of basic nursing education; and improving the use and allocation of human resources (Japan International Cooperation Agency, 2005). Continuing nursing education helps to improve the quality of nursing services and consequently to improve its impact and effectiveness in the hospital and the health care industry as a whole. However, continuing nursing education tends to incur costs for hospitals and for nurses themselves, hence, there is a need for health care institutions to gain the assistance of private and even government institutions to help provide continuing education at minimal cost (Japan International Cooperation Agency, 2005). In a paper by Ferguson (2006), the author set out to assess the purpose and benefits of continuing education in nursing and the implications for the provision of continuing education for cancer nurses. The paper mentions that with the current emphasis on mandatory continuing education in nursing, the need to improve knowledge and skills in caring for cancer patients should be focused on. The current challenge in nursing is on how to keep nurses updated with their skills and knowledge in order to ensure that patients receive the utmost quality in health services (Ferguson, 2006). This challenge has been met by many hospitals and nurses; however, its impact on health care has not been sufficiently established as yet. Nevertheless, its impact in health care has been established as crucial to the well-being of patients and the improvement of nursing skills. We can assess from the paper by O’Connor (1979), which sought to evaluate the reasons why nurses engage in continuing education that these reasons are diverse, but, in the end, they are for the well-being of the patient and the nurse. The paper covered about 800 nurses who were participating in continuing education programs sponsored by colleges and universities. The study used a checklist which contained reasons for participation in continuing education. The study revealed that there were 7 main reasons for nurses’ participation in continuing education programs. These reasons include: compliance with authority, improvement in social relations, improvement in social welfare skills, professional advancement, professional knowledge, relief from routine, and acquisition credentials (O’Connor, 1979). The study revealed that most of the nurses chose to attend and participate in continuing education not because of its mandatory nature, but because of a desire in “maintaining professional currency and improving their ability to serve the public (O’Connor, 1979). A paper by Coughlin, Pope and Leedle (2006) sought to assess the innovations in medical technology and their implications to nursing education. The study pointed out that about 80 million of the baby boomers are about to enter an age of chronic disease and infirmities; consequently, there is bound to be an increase in health care costs. With available new technology for these baby boomers, the ability to deal with their health problems has been improved. These available new technologies have also called for the medical health professionals to improve their knowledge and skills on how to use and implement such new technologies. There is no other way around the problem of increased baby boomers; “leveraging technology, disease management, and home health have the opportunity to work together to more efficiently and effectively meet the needs of a rapidly aging society through better coordinated care that reduced avoidable hospital readmissions and other adverse events” (Coughlin, Pope & Leedle, 2006, p. 196). A paper by Yee (2002) also points out that basic IT skills and work-related IT skills need to be improved in order to ensure that the current group of practicing nurses meets the demands of the workforce and of the healthcare industry in general. In recent years, nursing and health care in Singapore has shifted from a traditional focus to a broader and multidimensional concept which now includes the monitoring of clinical indicators and medical errors (Lim, 2004). Through a strong political commitment, the transition has been made easy and convenient for the health care industry. Patient empowerment however, is still one of the factors which have yet to be addressed by Singapore. And health education has been made a tool for patient and health care empowerment. In the current age of computer technology, there is a great need for nurses, not just in Singapore, but all over the world, to improve their computer competencies. Computer technology offers various advantages in the diagnosis and even the treatment of diseases. In Singapore, recent adjustments in its health care practices have managed to install these improvements in health care. As hospitals and health care professionals may not always be able to attend to patients personally, computers are now set-up in order to accomplish many health care functions (Mokhtar, Majid & Foo, 2006). It is therefore a must for nurses and other health care professionals to educate themselves in the use of computer technology. Recommendations In order to improve my practice, I can help educate patients, by appraising them about their disease. By explaining and educating them about their disease, they would better understand their symptoms and why they are feeling such symptoms. As patients know more about their disease, they would be able to make their own initiative towards their recovery and well-being. They can also understand the maintenance and preventive measures that they now have to apply in order to avoid a worsening of their disease; they can also apply precautionary measures in order to prevent the deterioration of their health. I can also assist other nurses as a nurse educator by, sharing information on the new techniques and new interventions which are available in the health care field. Also, by acting as each other’s support system, it is possible to help in the credible applications of nursing practice. Finally, I can take an initiative in improving my practice by participating in various continuing education practices and trainings. These continuing education practices can also help eventually improve and update the quality of health care services. Works Cited Cheah, J. (27 October 2001) Chronic disease management: a Singapore perspective. British Medical Journal, volume 323, pp. 990-993 Ferguson, A. (15 February 2006) Evaluating the purpose and benefits of continuing education in nursing and the implications for the provision of continuing education for cancer nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, volume 19, issue 4, pp. 640-646 Goodfellow, L. (July/August 1995) Cooperative Learning Strategies: An Effective Method of Teaching Nursing Research. Nurse Educator Online, volume 20, number 4, pp. 26-29 JICA Thematic Guidelines on Nursing Education (November 2005) Japan International Cooperation Agency. Retrieved 11 February 2010 from http://gwweb.jica.go.jp/km/FSubject0201.nsf/50e70e491615c34a492571c7002a982d/adb4fed35526f55e492570fa00308d38/$FILE/%E8%AA%B2%E9%A1%8C%E5%88%A5%E6%8C%87%E9%87%9D%E3%80%8C%E7%9C%8B%E8%AD%B7%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E3%80%8D%E6%A6%82%E8%A6%B3%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E%E7%89%88.pdf Lim, M. (2004) Quest for quality care and patient safety: the case of Singapore. Quality and Safety in Health Care, volume 13, pp. 71-75 Mokhtar, I., Majid, S., & Foo, S. (2006) Using Information Technology To Improve Health Information Literacy In Singapore – An Exploratory Study. Proc. ITI 4th International Conference on Information and Communications Technology. Retrieved 11 February 2010 from http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/home/assfoo/publications/2006/2006ICICT_fmt.pdf O’Connor, A. (1979) Reasons nurses Participate in Continuing Education, volume 28, issue 6, pp. 354-359 Spouse, J. (1998) Learning to nurse through legitimate peripheral participation. Nurse Education Today, volume 18, number 5, pp. 345-351 Stewart, J. & Sheehan, A. (April 1991) Permanent pacemakers: The nurses role in patient education and follow-up care. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, volume 5, number 3, pp. 32-43. Timmins, F. (2005) Contemporary issues in coronary care nursing. New York: Routledge Publishing Wingard, R. (March-April, 2005) Patient education and the nursing process: meeting the patients needs. Nephrology Nursing Journal. Retrieved 11 February 2010 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ICF/is_2_32/ai_n17209187/pg_2/?tag=content;col1 Yee, C. (September/October 2002) Identifying Information Technology Competencies Needed in Singapore Nursing Education. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, volume 20, number 5, pp. 209-214 Read More