EducationalRoleoftheNurseinChronicControlDiseaseNURSESHavelongacceptedtheconceptthat"healtheducationisimpliedineverynursingactivity,irrespectiveofthesettinginwhichthethenursefunctions"(1).Whetherthenurseworkswithpatientsandtheirfamiliesinthehome,clinic,physician'soffice,hospital,school，orotherneighborhoodfacilitiesthatprovidehealthservices,shecanknowthesatisfactionthatcomesfromeducationalwork.Throughhereffortspatients'attitudesmaybechangedfromindifferencetointerestandtheirbehavioralteredtoaccordwithrecommendedmedicaladvice.Healthpracticesinahomemaybereinforcedandstrengthenedbyadoptionofafavorabledailyregimenthatthenursehassuggested.Diseasecontrolanderadicationprogramsmaybeadvancedinthecommunitythroughindividualorfamilyunderstandingandcooperationthatthenursehaspromoted.Buttherearebarrierstoteachingpatientsabouttheirdisease.TheInternationalUnionagainstTuberculosis,forexample,hasrecentlypointedout:Wehearagreatdealabouttheresistanceofthebacillus.ButnotEnoughissaidaboutanotherformofresistance:thatcomingfromignorance,apathy,lackofinterest——inaphrase,".theresistanceofman"(2).Whetherornotweagreewiththisstatement,educationofthepatientandhisfamilypresentsagreatchallengewhichrequiresthecontinuousandcoordinatedeffortsofindividualsandagencies.Againusingtuberculosisasanexample,severalrecentstudiesintheUnitedStatesrevealthatthegeneralpublicisnotwellInformedaboutthisdisease;manypeopleapparentlydonotknowthebasicfactsaboutit.Inoneoftheserecentstudies,madein1964inamainlandcity,morethanathirdoftherespondentsthoughtthattuberculosiswasinheritable,whilenearly30percentdidnotknowwhetheritwasornot.Manysimilarrecentstudiesindicateclearlytheneedforcommunityeducationaboutchronicdiseasessuchastuberculosisifthepeople,particularlythoseinhigh-riskgroups,aretounderstandandcooperateinthecontrolanderadicationmeasuresbeingcarriedout.Thisneedmakestheeducationalroleofthenurseallthemoreimportanttoday.WhatcannursesdotoPromotebetterunderstandingofachronicdisease?Howcancontactswithpatientsbemademoreproductiveinstimulatingadesirefortreatment?Howcannursesencouragegreaterawarenessof,andinterestin,agivenchronicdiseaseamongpatients,ex-patients,andfamilies?Howcanbrokenclinicappointmentsorlapsesbelessened?Howcanpatientsbeencouragedtotakeprescribeddrugsoverlongperiods?Howcaneducationalworkbemademoreeffectiveinallphasesofdiseasecontrolanderadication?BarrierstoPatientEducationSomeofthebarrierstoeducationofpatientsaboutachronicdiseasemayrelatetothesettinginwhichtheconferencebetweennurseandpatientisheld,thelackofclear-cutgoalsforeducationalwork,thefailuretoextendscarce,professionaltimebygroupteaching,limitationsunderwhichtheagencymustoperate,andculturaldifferencesbetweenthepatientsandthenurse.Conferencesetting.Sinceperson-to-personteachingandinterviewingareanessentialpartofthenurse'sprofessionalwork,arrangementsshouldbemadeforasuitableplacetotalkwithpatients.Ifteachingtakesplaceinthemidstoftelephonecallsandotherdistractions,neitherpatientnornursecanconcentrateonwhattheotherhastosay.Distractionscaninhibitorevenpreventeffectivecommunicationandteaching.Clear-cutGoalsGoals.todefinewhatthenursehopestoaccomplishinaconference,inteview,orgroupworkareindispensable.Thegoalswillbedeterminedinthepartbythequestionsthepatientorhisfamilyasks,theinterestsheexpresses,whatheandhisfamilyalreadyknowaboutthedisease,andhowthepatientiscooperat...
