Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Health Education and Promotion Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Health Education and Promotion related questions and content

You are the nurse planning to teach tracheostomy care to a patient who will be discharged home following a spinal cord injury. When preparing your teaching, which of the following is the most important component of your teaching plan?

  • A. Citing the evidence that underlies each of your teaching points
  • B. Alleviating the patients guilt associated with not knowing appropriate self-care
  • C. Determining the patients readiness to learn new information
  • D. Including your nursing colleagues in the planning process
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Assessment in the teaching-learning process is directed toward the systematic collection of data about the person and family's learning needs and readiness to learn. Patient readiness is critical to accepting and integrating new information. Unless the patient is ready to accept new information, patient teaching will be ineffective. Citing the evidence base will not likely enhance learning. Patient guilt cannot be alleviated until the patient understands the intricacies of the condition and his physiologic response to the disease. Inclusion of colleagues can be beneficial, but this does not determine the success or failure of teaching.