MCNPATIENT TEACHING
Meeting Goals with Limited Financial Resources BY LAURA PRESTON BARNES
P
atient teaching programs, as well as other health care services, are frequently challenged to provide quality programs with limited financial resources. Patient teaching is always an integral part of nursing care, and teaching tools help nursing staff provide consistent information to clients and to document the teaching process. The high cost of health care and the current economic climate dictate that services be delivered in a costeffective manner. There are several ways in which available resources may be used to develop creative, innovative methods of patient teaching so as to meet both nursing goals and financial responsibilities. First, it is important to assess the program resources within the facility. Motivated, energetic staff members are invaluable resources for patient education projects. Their nursing expertise can be used to develop patient handouts, booklets, and teaching checklists. Illustrations might be provided by talented students, nursing staff, or volunteers. Use of staff and volunteers in developing patient teaching projects can meet the educational goals of the program as well as providing the staff a sense of LAURA PRESTON BARNES, RN,
MSN, is director of the Child Health Education Center at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Knoxville. The author welcomes your questions or comments about patient education issues. Please send correspondence to Laura Preston Barnes, RN, MSN, at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 15010, Knoxville, TN37901. MCN Volume 17 September/October 1992
ownership of the program. If such services are available, printing costs can be significantly reduced by printing materials within the facility rather than sending them to a outside commercial vendor. Financial resources for patient teaching can be augmented by obtaining funds from grants, designated giving programs, thirdparty reimbursement, and corporate sponsorship of specific educational projects. One example of a comprehensive patient education program with limited financial resources can be found at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. Nurses there have developed a comprehensive pediatric patient education program with a primary goal of developing patient focused materials for patient teaching. According to Ruth Koppel Rosenblum, RN, pediatric patient education coordinator, resources within the facility and the community have been important in establishing a quality patient teaching program. The hospital supports the program with designated office time for patient education on the average of two days per week, which has been incorporated into the structure of the hospital nursing system. A strong patient education committee consisting of staff nurses assessed patient needs and established goals of developing materials and teaching checklists in seven content areas. Using nursing expertise, the committee developed patient/family focused materials to provide patients with written re-
sources and to reinforce teaching. In addition, this committee developed 35 medication sheets for commonly prescribed medications. All patient teaching materials are printed in English and Spanish and there are plans to translate information into Vietnamese. Funds from a grant financed the services of a graphic designer/illustrator who created a patient education logo that establishes a program identity. This person also illustrates patient teaching materials to further enhance their educational effectiveness. In addition to the materials described above, the nurses have also developed two safety programs. The choking safety program consists of a display of toys and small objects and a "choking hazards" handout. A general safety program uses binders that families can review regarding general household and child safety issues. Further information on this pediatric patient education program can be obtained from Ruth K. Rosenblum, RN, MS, Pediatric Patient Education Coordinator, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, 3rd Floor Pediatrics, 751 S. Bascon Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128. Whether we work in a women's health center, a children's hospital, a medical center, a physician's office, or a community hospital, we are challenged to develop and provide quality patient teaching for our clients. Nursing goals and financial responsibilities can be met by creatively working with available resources to provide quality patient teaching program. naa 267
Meeting Goals with Limited Financial Resources BY LAURA PRESTON BARNES
P
atient teaching programs, as well as other health care services, are frequently challenged to provide quality programs with limited financial resources. Patient teaching is always an integral part of nursing care, and teaching tools help nursing staff provide consistent information to clients and to document the teaching process. The high cost of health care and the current economic climate dictate that services be delivered in a costeffective manner. There are several ways in which available resources may be used to develop creative, innovative methods of patient teaching so as to meet both nursing goals and financial responsibilities. First, it is important to assess the program resources within the facility. Motivated, energetic staff members are invaluable resources for patient education projects. Their nursing expertise can be used to develop patient handouts, booklets, and teaching checklists. Illustrations might be provided by talented students, nursing staff, or volunteers. Use of staff and volunteers in developing patient teaching projects can meet the educational goals of the program as well as providing the staff a sense of LAURA PRESTON BARNES, RN,
MSN, is director of the Child Health Education Center at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Knoxville. The author welcomes your questions or comments about patient education issues. Please send correspondence to Laura Preston Barnes, RN, MSN, at East Tennessee Children's Hospital, P.O. Box 15010, Knoxville, TN37901. MCN Volume 17 September/October 1992
ownership of the program. If such services are available, printing costs can be significantly reduced by printing materials within the facility rather than sending them to a outside commercial vendor. Financial resources for patient teaching can be augmented by obtaining funds from grants, designated giving programs, thirdparty reimbursement, and corporate sponsorship of specific educational projects. One example of a comprehensive patient education program with limited financial resources can be found at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California. Nurses there have developed a comprehensive pediatric patient education program with a primary goal of developing patient focused materials for patient teaching. According to Ruth Koppel Rosenblum, RN, pediatric patient education coordinator, resources within the facility and the community have been important in establishing a quality patient teaching program. The hospital supports the program with designated office time for patient education on the average of two days per week, which has been incorporated into the structure of the hospital nursing system. A strong patient education committee consisting of staff nurses assessed patient needs and established goals of developing materials and teaching checklists in seven content areas. Using nursing expertise, the committee developed patient/family focused materials to provide patients with written re-
sources and to reinforce teaching. In addition, this committee developed 35 medication sheets for commonly prescribed medications. All patient teaching materials are printed in English and Spanish and there are plans to translate information into Vietnamese. Funds from a grant financed the services of a graphic designer/illustrator who created a patient education logo that establishes a program identity. This person also illustrates patient teaching materials to further enhance their educational effectiveness. In addition to the materials described above, the nurses have also developed two safety programs. The choking safety program consists of a display of toys and small objects and a "choking hazards" handout. A general safety program uses binders that families can review regarding general household and child safety issues. Further information on this pediatric patient education program can be obtained from Ruth K. Rosenblum, RN, MS, Pediatric Patient Education Coordinator, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, 3rd Floor Pediatrics, 751 S. Bascon Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128. Whether we work in a women's health center, a children's hospital, a medical center, a physician's office, or a community hospital, we are challenged to develop and provide quality patient teaching for our clients. Nursing goals and financial responsibilities can be met by creatively working with available resources to provide quality patient teaching program. naa 267
