title: Knowledge and skills needed for patient education for individuals with coronary heart disease: The perspective of health professionals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a lack of studies on the knowledge and skills needed for patient education of individuals with coronary heart disease. Better understanding of what competencies health professionals see as necessary for patient education in secondary prevention can contribute to improved education of educators, and thus, improved patient education.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate health professionals' views on the knowledge and skills necessary in conducting high-quality patient education for adults recently diagnosed with coronary heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study was conducted using individual interviews with health professionals with experience from different types of patient education in cardiac care. The interviews were analysed using systematic text condensation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The informants were 19 Icelandic and Norwegian registered nurses, physiotherapists and cardiologists. Sound updated theoretical and clinical knowledge, along with advanced communication skills, was considered essential for patient education. This includes being able to establish interpersonal relationships with patients, capturing their learning needs, facilitating an effective dialogue and providing individualised patient centred education and lifestyle counselling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence-based patient education requires knowledgeable health professionals with advanced communication skills and pedagogical competences that enable them to motivate patients and provide effective patient centred lifestyle counselling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, St Olavs University Hospital, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Iceland margret.svavarsdottir@ntnu.no mhs@unak.is.
authors.forename: Margrét H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Svavarsdóttir
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Iceland.
authors.forename: Árún K
authors.initials: ÁK
authors.lastname: Sigurðardóttir
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, St Olavs University Hospital, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Aslak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinsbekk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009664:Norway; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011361:Professional Competence; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Patient education as topic; clinical competence; coronary disease; health educators; health personnel; secondary prevention