Imprint 2021 November/December November/December 2021 | Page 35

Nurses spend a great deal of time with patients It is well documented that among healthcare professionals , nurses tend to spend the most time with patients ( Butler et al , 2018 ). This is especially true for inpatient or acute care settings but has been historically true for community health settings as well . Public health nurses have been at the frontlines in community education programs for improving sanitation and preventing diseases , which has resulted in increased life expectancy across continents ( Sanford , 2000 ).
Nurses , by the nature of their roles , have the most opportunity to support patients in returning them to health when sick , in maintaining health , and ultimately in creating capacity for patients to care for themselves and manage their own health conditions . Patient education is requisite in this relationship between nurses and patients if patients ultimately have to be capable of self-managing their condition . In instances where patients may not be fully capable of achieving complete self-management , education is still requisite for whoever cares for the patient , and nurses have the responsibility to educate caregivers .
Anderson and Funnell , 2009 note that patients with diabetes provide most of their own diabetes care ( 98 %). It , therefore , behooves healthcare professionals taking care of them to maximize the patient ’ s ability to self-manage not just through education but education using the empowerment model . This model focuses on the patient ’ s goals and supports them to build skills .
Regulatory and quality improvement systems require patient education The Joint Commission for Accreditation of Hospitals and Healthcare Organizations ( JCAHO ), which accredits healthcare facilities in the U . S . and around the world , requires that accredited health care facilities assess the educational needs of their clients , and provide relevant and appropriate education for them in order to receive and maintain accreditation .
Patient education is a critical function in healthcare . In many health care settings , nurses are positioned to best execute patient education . Nursing scien ce and nursing training prepare nurses for this function and to model best practices for other healthcare professionals .
Nurses having the closest proximity to patients in many of these facilities can be and often are the vectors for facilities in meeting this criterion for accreditation . The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service ( CMS ) require accreditation for outpatient Diabetes Education Services to be eligible for reimbursement . The era of Patient Satisfaction measurement for hospitals and health care services indicates a need for intentional patient education programs in an effort to better address patient needs and assure their satisfaction ( Krueger et al , 2021 ). These are all examples of how patient education , a traditional nursing role , has emerged as a critical component of health care delivery . This also underscores why it is perhaps the nurse ’ s most important role .
Patient education is a critical function in healthcare . In many health care settings , nurses are positioned to best execute patient education . Nursing science and nursing training prepare nurses for this function and to model best practices for other healthcare professionals . The Diabetes Care and Education Specialty is a model for advancing patient education , not just for nurses but a multidisciplinary group of health care professionals . The Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education provides certification for diabetes care and education specialists . This certification assures a quality process for patient education , improved patient outcomes , and patient engagement that can improve patient satisfaction . Check out the certification requirements , which can help in patient education in many settings . Go to www . cbdce . org . •
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