Let’s stop talking ab...

I keep hearing about The Empowered Patient. I cringe every time I hear the term. Yes, of course I believe patients need to advocate for themselves and their families to get the very best medical care possible. But that’s not “empowerment.” I agree with Jane Vella: “Teachers...

Using Teach Back for Pa...

If you were asked to improve your organization’s effectiveness in patient and family education, and you were only allowed enough training time to communicate one skill, choose teach back. Why? Because teach back allows you to evaluate understanding. If the learner does not...

HCEA Webinar on Connect...

On Wednesday, November 3, 2010 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Eastern Time) the Health Care Education Association (HCEA) will offer a webinar: Connecting with Communities through Social Media: Can We Be Friends? presented by Christine Black O’Malley, the Executive Director of the Office...

Formal or informal pati...

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital reviews the research in specific areas, and comes up with Best Evidence Statements, which they share freely with the world on the Internet. One of the questions they asked is: “Among pediatric nurses engaged in the patient discharge process does...

Evidence that Patient E...

Health care providers and administrators talk about striving toward an evidence-based practice. And yet, we choose to ignore some evidence outright, such as the fact that patient education is very a cost-effective tool to improve health outcomes. A classic study from fifteen years...