Overview
Patient and family education helps patients better participate in their care and make informed care decisions. Many different staff in the organization educate patients and families. Education takes place when the patient interacts with his or her physician(s) or the nurse(s). Others provide education as they provide specific services, such as rehabilitation or nutrition therapy, or prepare the patient for discharge and continuing care. Because many staff help educate patients and families, it is important that staff members coordinate their activities and focus on what patients need to learn.
Effective education thus begins with an assessment of the patient’s and family’s learning needs. This assessment determines not only what needs to be learned but how the learning can best occur. Learning is most effective when it suits an individual’s learning preferences, religious and cultural values, and reading and language skills. Learning is also affected by when it occurs in the care process.
Education includes the knowledge needed during the care process and the knowledge needed after the patient is discharged to another care site or home. Thus, education can include information on community resources for additional care and required follow-up care and how to access emergency services if necessary. Effective education in an organization employs available electronic and visual formats and a variety of distance learning and other techniques.
Standards
The following is a list of all standards for this function. They are presented here for your convenience without their intent statements or measurable elements. For more information about these standards, please see the next section in this chapter, Standards, Intents, and Measurable Elements.
PFE.1 The organization provides education that supports patient and family participation in care decisions and care processes.
PFE.2 Each patient’s educational needs are assessed and recorded in his or her record.
PFE.2.1 The patient’s and family’s ability to learn and willingness to learn are assessed.
PFE.3 Education and training help meet patients’ ongoing health needs.