(1) Evaluate whether learner objectives have been met. There are several
ways to do this.
(a) Observation. Observe the patient to verify that he has put the
information that he learned into practice.
(b) Patient's comments. The patient will usually state whether or not he
or she understands the information being taught.
(c) Direct questions. Ask the patient a question requiring a response,
which reflects his or her level of knowledge about the topic.
(d) Return demonstration. Have the patient perform the procedure as it
was demonstrated. This is an excellent method of evaluating proficiency in psychomotor
skills.
(2) Evaluate teaching. Immediately after each session, evaluate your
teaching effectiveness.
(a) Quickly review how implementation of the plan went and mentally
make note of both your strengths and weaknesses.
(b) Seek feedback from the patients. Use a simple questionnaire with
space for comments but one, which requires only check marks to answer. The
questionnaires may be more honest and helpful if anonymous.
(3) Revise the teaching plan. Evaluation may reveal that the teaching plan
should be revised. Revision is part of the teaching-learning process; it is not an indication
of failure. Make adjustments accordingly to meet the patient's needs.
(a) Alter the content and teaching strategies if the objectives were
unrealistic, the content too complex, or the teaching strategy inappropriate.
(b) Employ motivational counseling if the patient is unwilling to participate
in learning activities or to learn how to care for himself.
(c) Reschedule teaching sessions if the time and frequency of sessions
affected the teacher-learner process.
(4) Document the teaching-learning process. Teaching is an important and
required nursing responsibility; it must be documented in the patient's record.
(a) Include a summary of the diagnosed learning needs, the teaching
plan, implementation of the plan, and evaluation results.
MD0906
7-12