What is the most accurate principal pertaining to the role of family in patient education? Most of my colleagues and I believe that it is the principle of individual accountability.
But how do we determine what an individual can or cannot do when he is a patient?
One of the greatest challenges to health educators is engaging adolescents. We must remember that we are talking about the most impressionable years of their lives. That means that we need to go beyond teaching, telling, and learning in order to engage them.
How do we do that?
One important thing we must do as health educators is show up. We must get out and see and hear what they are thinking and feeling. This includes family members as well as the adolescents. It is often said that what a child does or doesn’t do at home is related to what he does not do at school.
If you are not in the family all day, there may be some challenges that you face as a health educator that are not present at home. This is where attending events such as school events, youth conferences, and after school sports programs can help you. These activities help you gain a better understanding of how the health of a family member directly impacts the health education of the entire family.
The health and education community realizes that family members have a profound impact on a patient’s success. That is why they provide services to families. One such program is called Family Voices, which is led by Family Voices, Inc. and supports patient advocacy. The purpose of this organization is to raise awareness about family related issues and improve patient care through a multi-pronged approach that connects patient education with family engagement.
The final question regards the relation between the fourth principle regarding the role of family in patient education and the fifth principal regarding the relationship between the family and nurse. The relationship between a nurse and patient is a very strong one. There is an enormous emotional and professional bond that is formed which cannot be easily broken. A nurse will work tirelessly to ensure that the patient is comfortable and well cared for. There are times when the bond is so strong that the nurse and the patient may become so close that the nurse may spend more time than the patient. Such instances are difficult to control, but they do occur and the resulting anxiety should be handled with sensitivity and without bias.
