Informally, each time the nurse interacts with the patient they can provide information; formally, training on specific medications, or procedures; or explaining to the family situations about upcoming tests, operations, or expectations, can be most valuable. Formal educational opportunities may also present themselves in groups (seminars for heart or kidney patients for example) that allow specific sets of information to be disseminated to larger groups for efficiency, human or other resource purposes, and to allow patients to have a greater sense of a peer or support group for their specific need (Falvo). Part 4- Identify appropriate educational resources. There are actually quite a number of additional educational resources available for patients:

Hospital staff and seminars; specialists, nurse or practitioner experts

Governmental agencies that sponsor seminars provide written information (e.g. Department of Health).

Private agencies that provide written information, sponsor seminars, and advocate education (e.g. American Heart Association, Lung Association, etc.).

Websites from public and private organizations, including DHSS, etc.

Number of individual websites devoted to care, information, and even ongoing webinar training (Mayo Clinic, WebMD, etc.)

Pharmaceutical sites

Watchdog agencies, consumer protection groups

Part 5 -- Outline on educational session like Cardiac Rehab

Overview: Cardiac disorders are the leading cause of death and injury in the developed world. In the United States alone, over 14 million people suffer from cardiac disease, so it is important that we help...

There are a number of topics with which we must review during this session:
Post Procedure Care -- Managing post-surgical or procedural care; resources for rehabilitation and post-procedure education; medical appointments and importance of checkups.

Medications -- Common medications, how to dose, aspirin, what to talk with the doctor about, what side effects to watch for, etc.

Rehabilitation and Exercise -- Importance of slow, but steady exercise; how to make time, find support, and continue on with a rehabilitative lifestyle that allows the patient to take responsibility.

Diet and Stress - How to prepare heart-healthy meals; resources, cookbooks, how to eat out at restaurants; how to get family support; how to limit or eliminate stress; using exercise, yoga and other techniques to limit stress.

Making sense out of life choices -- Helping patient understand that they are also part of their own healthcare template; making life choices (eliminating smoking, reducing alcohol, etc.) that will allow them to live a longer, fuller life (Singh, 2011).

REFERENCES

Falvo, D. (2004). Effective Patient Education. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Rankin, S., et al. (2005). Patient Education in Health and Illness. London: Lippincott.

Singh, V. (2011). Cardiac Rebailitation. Emedicine -- Medscape. Cited in:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/319683-overview