title: Assessing learning styles: practical tips for patient education.
abstract: Nurses must facilitate and support patient and family decision-making and improvement in health outcomes using instructional skills. Complex patient needs and nursing responsibilities necessitate thoughtful consideration for maximizing the effectiveness of patient teaching encounters. This article reviews assessment of patient learning styles in combination with context for an individualized approach, as well as motivation for adult learners as a framework for organization of patient teaching. Methods and modes of patient teaching are discussed as well as tips for overcoming barriers to planning and implementing patient teaching.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, 311 Godchaux Hall, 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA. theresa.inott@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inott
authors.forename: Betsy B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D017145:Models, Educational; D009042:Motivation; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*