Although patient advocacy experiences for registered nurses (RNs) have been researched over the past 40 years, very little is known about patient advocacy at the advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) level. The APRN role is distinct from the RN role, in that APRNs are focused on diagnosing, prescribing, and management of treatment of various medical conditions in the settings where APRNs are used. The purpose of this study was to explore the APRN's experience with patient advocacy using a phenomenology-based qualitative design. A total of seven Texas APRNs were randomly selected for participation in telephone interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed by the research team for repetitive statements and four themes emerged from the data: (a) patients with APRN advocacy is providing resources, information, and protection; (b) outcomes of patient with APRN advocacy: positive and negative; (c) patient advocacy mostly experientially learned at APRN level; and (d) increased medical knowledge increases advocacy ability.
Aim
To determine how registered nurses understood the teach‐back method and whether such understanding translated to better evaluation of patients' understanding of discharge instructions.
Background
The teach‐back method helps nurses confirm whether the information provided to patients is understood. The current literature indicates the benefits of teach‐back; however, nurses do not apply the method adequately during discharge teaching.
Design
This study used a qualitative pretest–posttest design with an educational session.
Methods
A consecutive sampling method was used. Twelve nurses were interviewed using a discussion guide to gauge their understanding of the teach‐back method during the period July to August 2016. This was followed by an educational session on the teach‐back method. Nurses then implemented the method on the medical/surgical unit. A second interview was conducted using a questionnaire to evaluate participants' understanding of the method. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti 7 software.
Results
Participants' knowledge of the teach‐back method increased. Participants identified benefits associated with the method, but time constraint was a concern.
Conclusion
The findings contribute to an understanding of the teach‐back method by nurses. Patient care will benefit if the method is reinforced among nurses through continuing in‐service education.
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