Health Education: The Nurse As Health Educator

INTRODUCTION This contextual project wok is consisting of 10 concepts form the module entitled ‘Health Education’ block I. Each one of the concepts will be described in terms of its meaning, will be critically analyzed for its real life application and will be followed by some reference of the current research evidence. Real life application will explore a possible relationship of the concept with personal, social or professional life.

This concept is taken from health assessment block 1, module 1 entitled as ‘The Nurse as Health Educator’. Since many years, it is a well understood concept that nurses must participate in health education. Education the patients, families, general public and health care professionals is one the well-established

Despite lack of proper training resources for effective educational abilities, I have seen nurses providing education to their clients and other personnel at different level. None of the nurses can escape her from fulfilling this role. I personally feel that the ability of a nurse to provide education to patient, families, or any colleague is a characteristic of highly professional and skilled nurse. Most of the time, it provokes the sense of responsibility and ultimately leads to the sense of satisfaction. I believe that educating someone serves the basis for your professional relationship. If I spend time with a patient or colleague to teach him/her about something, I experience positive impact on my communication which ultimately improves my relationship. I feel affection with my role as educator. I am working as an instructor and am satisfied that I am keeping my professional requirement. I educate not only staff nurses but other member of the health care team like health care assistants and technicians as well as patients and families when I am in clinical area mentoring nursing students. Above and over I give my input in public teaching and health promotion by participating in different supports groups and public awareness sessions like cancer screening awareness, breast self-examination etc. held by my organization at community

Moreover, governmental policies productivity, market competition, and cost containment measures to manage health care related expenses also demands the nurses to put their efforts in health education so as to meet the national expectations. Above all nurses have legal pressure to educate their clients regarding their health management, treatment proposed and disease prevention. Complying with all these social, ethical and legal requirements nurses acknowledge their role in health education. 1.3 Application in current Job: Educating the patients and families is the part of job description of every nurse working in my organization. We are working with cancer patients and it is of great importance to educate our clients so as to minimize the effects of disease, potential complications, unwanted effects of the treatment employed and safe health management at home. Our patients can face life threatening complication if poorly taught about their condition and expected outcomes. Therefore, it is mandatory for every nurse as well as other members of health care team to provide health education to all of our patients. Moreover, it is the part of nurses’ competencies that they are able to provide health education to the patients and the families. We have established the teams of nurses for different specialties like breast care nurses, stoma care nurses, perioperative specialist