Commercially Available Patient Education Materials Module 11

Instructor Composed HEPs Hand-written exercise instruction – Written description, e.g. Bridging – Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Raise your buttocks off the floor approximately 10 inches and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat X times. – Stick figures Check-lists – Check specific exercises patient should follow

Advantages of Instructor Composed HEPs Can be tailored to fit institution’s policies and procedures Can incorporate frequently asked questions Highlight especially important points Reinforce specific oral instructions to clarify difficult concepts Can personalize instructions so content and structure fit an individual’s learning needs

Disadvantages of Instructor Composed HEPs Can be time consuming to ensure that materials are well written and laid out effectively Need to exercise caution to avoid incorporating too much information at a higher level than appropriate

Products Available Pre-printed booklets Pre-printed handouts Computer programs that allow you to customize handouts Web-based instruction

Sources of commercial patient education materials Commerical resources available to purchase for use as handouts Diagnosis related organizations Professional organizations – Consumer_Awareness&Template=/TaggedPage/Ta ggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=137&ContentID= Consumer_Awareness&Template=/TaggedPage/Ta ggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=137&ContentID= Books/CDs/DVDs

Selection of patient ed materials Suitability Accuracy Availability Cost Intended use: – Orientation – Treatment – Discharge

Selection of patient ed materials Preferred methodology – What kind of learner are they? Utilization – What to focus on? – Provide opportunity for questions – Never give out materials you have not reviewed! – Would it help for family members to have access?

Selection of patient ed materials Individual vs group One time vs multiple sessions Health fair

Appraising web-based resources Source Sponsor of page Referencing of material Currency of information Relevant to patient needs Reading level Graphic support Interactiveness Copyright issues

Questions for Assessing Commercially Prepared Materials Who produced the item? Can the item be previewed? Is the price of the teaching tool compatible with its educational value?

Advantages of Commercially Prepared Materials Readily available Some materials can be obtained in bulk for free or at relatively low cost

Disadvantages of Commercially Prepared Materials Issues of cost Accuracy Adequacy of content Readability of materials

Choices of Instructional Materials Depends on 3 major variables 1.Characteristics of Learner 2.Characteristics of Media 3.Characteristics of Task

Characteristics of Learner Know your audience Choose media that accommodates to the needs and abilities of various learners

Characteristics of Media Consider multimedia approach to compliment methods of instruction No single medium is most effective Printed materials are most common

Characteristics of Task Identify learning domain Identify complexity of those behaviors required

Reference Hainsworth, DS (2011). Instructional materials. In Bastable et al. (Eds.) Health Professional as Educator (pp ). Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning