When we are trying to educate patients, it is very important to make sure that they actually understand the message we are trying to convey to them. One method I will use to help patients learn will be to make sure I am delivering the information in an appropriate manner. For example, speaking in terms that are appropriate for the patient’s age and education level is important; speaking slowly and clearly is helpful; and stopping to let the patient absorb information and ask questions shows that I have time for them and that I care about helping them. Another technique I will use to help patients learn will be to ask them to repeat back to me what they understand from our conversation. If they seem unable to summarize our counseling session, they probably won’t be able to effectively implement any changes we discussed. If this is the case, I will go over with them the most important points of what we discussed and try to keep it interactive. Another way to help patients who might not remember everything we talked about is to write down the most important points. I used this method during my previous rotation for a patient who was confused about which form of calcium to take. After we talked, I wrote down for her the differences between calcium carbonate and calcium citrate, and I think she was happy to have something to remind her what we had discussed.
Krissy Wright
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