The Nursing Process

Introduction

The nursing process is an essential tool that guides nurses in providing patient-centred care. One aspect of this process is the development of a teaching plan, which is designed to meet the educational needs of patients. A teaching plan is a comprehensive and organized approach to educating patients and their families about their health conditions and the steps they can take to manage them. This essay will describe how the nursing process is applied to developing a teaching plan for a patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Scenario:

A 25-year-old female patient has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and has been referred to the diabetes education program by her primary care physician. She has had difficulty controlling her blood sugar levels and is not achieving her A1C goals. The patient works full-time and is the primary caregiver for her two young children. She has limited knowledge of diabetes and its management and has expressed frustration and confusion about the diabetes self-management education she has received.

Learner’s assessment

The first step in the nursing process is assessment. In order to develop an effective teaching plan, it is essential to assess the patient’s current knowledge and understanding of diabetes, as well as their readiness to learn. This includes identifying any barriers to learning that the patient may have, such as limited literacy or language skills or other factors that may make it difficult for the patient to understand or retain information. In the case of our patient, a 25-year-old female diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it is essential to assess her current knowledge of the disease, her readiness to learn, and any barriers to learning she may have. It is also important to assess her current self-management behaviours and routines, such as her diet, physical activity, and medication regimen. This information can be gathered through patient interviews and observation.

The patient’s anticipated or expected needs

Based on the assessment, the patient’s anticipated or expected needs can be identified. In this case, the patient needs to learn about the causes and symptoms of diabetes and how the disease affects her body. She also needs to learn about the importance of blood sugar control and how to achieve her A1C goals (Bright et al., 2022). Additionally, she needs to learn about healthy eating, physical activity, and weight management for diabetes self-management. Finally, she needs to learn about diabetes medications, their side effects, and how to take them safely.

Evidence-based teaching strategies

To meet these needs, evidence-based teaching strategies must be selected and prioritized. One effective teaching strategy is the patient-centred approach, which involves the patient in the education process and tailors the education to meet their specific needs. This approach is particularly effective for adult learners and has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Another evidence-based teaching strategy that can be used is the teach-back method, which involves having the patient explain the information back to the educator to ensure understanding. This method is particularly useful in evaluating the patient’s understanding of the information and ensuring that they have retained the key information (Bright et al., 2022). Additionally, using visuals such as diagrams, videos, and illustrations can be very helpful in making education more understandable and engaging.

Resources

In addition to the teaching strategies, the patient should be provided with resources that will help to enhance their learning. This can include written and verbal materials, such as pamphlets and handouts that are relevant to their specific needs (Toney-Butler & Thayer, 2022). Providing a list of diabetes education resources, such as local support groups and online resources, can also be beneficial. Additionally, providing the patient with a diabetes self-management logbook to track their blood sugar levels, diet, physical activity, and medications can help to promote self-management and independence.

Methods that would be used to evaluate learning outcomes

There are several methods that can be used to evaluate learning outcomes in the development of a teaching plan for a patient with diabetes. These methods can be divided into two main categories: formative evaluation and summative evaluation.

• Formative evaluation is an ongoing process that takes place throughout the teaching plan and is used to evaluate the patient’s understanding of the information as it is being presented. Formative evaluation methods include:
• The teach-back method: This involves having the patient explain the information back to the educator to ensure understanding (Toney-Butler & Thayer, 2022). This can be done immediately after the information has been presented or at a later time.
• Self-report questionnaires: These are used to assess the patient’s understanding of the information and their level of engagement with the education process.
• Self-monitoring tools: These include self-management logbooks, blood sugar monitoring logs, or other tools that help the patient track their progress in relation to the learning objectives of the teaching plan.

It’s also worth noting that the patient and family evaluation can provide feedback on the teaching process, which could help to improve the next teaching plan for a different patient. In order to ensure that the teaching plan is effective, it’s important to use a combination of both formative and summative evaluation methods. This can provide a more comprehensive assessment of the patient’s understanding of the information and their ability to apply it to their diabetes self-management.

The rationales for the elements of the teaching plan are as follows:

• Assessment of Learner: Assessing the patient’s current knowledge and understanding of diabetes, as well as their readiness to learn and any barriers to learning, is essential to developing an effective teaching plan. This information can be used to identify the patient’s specific learning needs and tailor the education to meet those needs. By assessing the patient’s current self-management behaviours and routines, the nurse can also identify any areas where the patient needs additional support or education.
• Anticipated or Expected Learner Needs: By identifying the patient’s anticipated or expected needs, the nurse can ensure that the education addresses the most important and relevant information for the patient. In this case, the patient needs to learn about the causes and symptoms of diabetes and how the disease affects her body. She also needs to learn about the importance of blood sugar control and how to achieve her A1C goals. Additionally, she needs to learn about healthy eating, physical activity, and weight management for diabetes self-management. Finally, she needs to learn about diabetes medications, their side effects, and how to take them safely.
• Evidence-based Teaching Strategies: Using evidence-based teaching strategies, such as the patient-centred approach, the teach-back method, and the use of visuals, can ensure that the education is effective and engaging for the patient. The patient-centred approach, in particular, has been shown to improve patient outcomes and promote patient involvement in the education process. The teach-back method is effective in evaluating the patient’s understanding of the information and ensuring that they have retained the key information.
• Resources: Providing resources such as written and verbal materials, diabetes self-management logbooks, and a list of diabetes education resources can help to enhance the patient’s learning and promote self-management. These resources can also provide the patient with ongoing support and information, even after the formal education process is complete.
• Evaluation of Learning Outcomes: It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching plan to determine whether the patient has achieved the desired learning outcomes. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as assessing the patient’s understanding of the information, reviewing their diabetes self-management logbook, monitoring their A1C levels, and conducting a post-education survey. This allows the healthcare provider to identify what the patient understands and what areas need further reinforcement, leading to an improvement in the patient’s health outcomes.

All these elements are supported by the nursing process and references from required course reading assignments which provide the framework for planning and delivering patient education that is tailored to the patient’s unique needs. By assessing the patient’s current knowledge, readiness to learn, and barriers to learning and selecting and prioritizing evidence-based teaching strategies, nurses can develop an effective teaching plan that helps the patient achieve their goals. This can result in improved patient outcomes, increased self-management and independence, and greater satisfaction with the education process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the nursing process provides a crucial framework for planning and delivering patient education that is tailored to meet the unique needs of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (Lilley et al., 2022). By using the nursing process to assess the patient’s current knowledge and understanding of diabetes, readiness to learn, and any barriers to learning, nurses can identify the patient’s anticipated or expected needs. Once identified, they can select and prioritize evidence-based teaching strategies that best meet those needs. Resources like written materials, diabetes self-management logbooks, and diabetes education resources can help enhance learning and promote self-management (Lilley et al., 2022). Additionally, it is crucial to use both formative and summative evaluation methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching plan and identify areas for improvement. By following this process, nurses can develop an effective teaching plan that helps patients achieve their goals, resulting in improved patient outcomes, increased self-management and independence, and greater satisfaction with the education process.

References

Bright, A. M., Hennessy, T., & Doody, O. (2022). The role and key activities of Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced Nurse Practitioners in supporting healthcare provision for people with intellectual disability: An integrative review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 104207.

Lilley, L. L., Collins, S. R., & Snyder, J. S. (2022). Pharmacology and the nursing process E-Book. Elsevier health sciences.

Toney-Butler, T. J., & Thayer, J. M. (2022). Nursing process. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.