[NIFL-HEALTH:2517] Re: The role of non-professionals

From: Linda Caraway (lcaraway@mail.st-joseph.org)
Date: Thu Aug 10 2000 - 12:15:37 EDT


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From: Linda Caraway <lcaraway@mail.st-joseph.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:2517] Re: The role of non-professionals
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Debbie,

Thank you for the invitation to share my thoughts. It might be too general
to try to compare the hospital setting with "other medical settings".
However, let me throw out some food for thought.

*	Patients are more acutely ill in the hospital setting often
interferring with their readiness to learn.

*	Each additional person introduced to the long line of doctors,
nurses, aides, lab, etc. could be a potential stressor and barrier to
learning; not to mention the feeling of invasion of privacy.

*	Their is an important factor of trust which often aids learning when
it is from someone who is your immediate caregiver.  The patient counts on
the professional training of the doctor, nurse, therapist, dietitian, etc.

*	The education should be an ongoing process taking advantage of those
"teaching moments" that occur during the care being given. This makes
learning a process rather than an event.

*	Discharge instructions generally incorporate a review of many of the
aspects of previous teaching along with any last minute physician
instructions and review of medications.

*	Liability issues are generally based on such things as patient's
rights, confidentiality, competence of the caregivers(including those doing
patient education which is a part of the permanent record of the patient).
The hospital has to be able to establish that competence with volunteers.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of rationales for preferring
teaching in the hospital setting by professionals(defined in Webster's as
those who have had specialized training and education.)
In this case that would be medical training and education.
 We have come a long way in training and educating personnel like Certified
Nursing Assistants to be "techs", increasing their scope of care. Student
nurses and other professional student's skills are utilized.  We have a BS
in Health Education as our patient education specialist.  All of these still
fit the category of professionals in our setting. 
 As professionals we have to be cognizant of our own areas of strength or
weakness and adhere to those boundaries, referring when necessary for the
benefit of the client.

Thanks you again for your interest.
Linda Caraway, RN, C, CRRN
Congregational/Outreach Nurse Educator
St. Joseph Regional Health Center
lcaraway@mail.st-joseph.org



> ----------
> From: 	Dwyoho@aol.com[SMTP:Dwyoho@aol.com]
> Sent: 	Wednesday, August 09, 2000 2:05 PM
> To: 	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: 	[NIFL-HEALTH:2515] Re: The role of non-professionals
> 
> Thanks, Linda, for your cogent comments.  It might be instructive to those
> of 
> us on the list who are not health people to hear a little more from you
> about 
> how you see the hospital setting as perhaps more "risky" in terms of using
> 
> "non-professionals", as opposed to other medical settings, such as the one
> I 
> talked about at Planned Parenthood.  I for one highly value this
> opportunity 
> to get your views.  Thanks, Debbie
> 
> Deborah W. Yoho
> Co-moderator, NIFL Health Literacy Discussion Group
> Chief Executive Officer
> Greater Columbia Literacy Council
> 921 Woodrow Street  
> Columbia, SC  29205
> 803/765-2555   dwyoho@aol.com
> 



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