Patient Education
At Saint John’s Health Center, patient education is an essential building block in our longstanding mission: to improve the health of the individuals and communities we serve. After all, a well informed and knowledgeable patient is better able to play a role in helping to improve his or her own care both before entering and after leaving the hospital.
Upon discharge from Saint John’s, all patients receive education specific to their condition, disease or injury. This usually involves thorough nurse-to-patient instruction, where patients are informed how to manage any continuing or residual pain they may experience, how to care for themselves after they return to their homes, whom to contact for any required clinical care after discharge, and how to follow up on the care they received while in the hospital. A special team works with newly diagnosed diabetic patients to ensure they are well informed about the nutritional, exercise and other important aspects of remaining healthy and caring for themselves.
A nurse cardiac coordinator provides preoperative education for all open-heart surgery patients. That includes a variety of postoperative information, including what to expect once their surgery is completed and they return home. Issues discussed may include general information about the heart, how the heart’s function will change and improve following surgery, proper nutrition to ensure that the heart remains as healthy as possible, how to exercise to keep the heart strong, and what to expect during the days following heart surgery. Breathing exercises may be taught prior to a procedure to enhance recovery after an operation.
In The Breast Center at Saint John’s, nurses provide extensive postoperative education for patients undergoing any kind of surgery—including mastectomy and lumpectomy. Potential cosmetic issues are discussed when applicable, including loss of hair, other body changes, and the possible need for breast implants. Those who are interested are referred to the hospital’s Positive Appearance Center for assistance with those important issues in a comfortable boutique-like setting.
Prospective parents also receive education. Saint John’s recently announced the advent of comprehensive childbirth classes. The classes are designed to prepare parents for the birth of and care for a child.
Included in the series, which is taught by a registered nurse certified in childhood education, are two classes covering a range of issues, from pregnancy, healthy nutrition, and remedies for the discomforts of pregnancy, to the stages of labor and birth, wisdom for birth partners, and the cesarean birth experience. A third class has two components: Basics Baby Care and Breastfeeding Basics.
When hospitalization is required, Saint John’s believes an informed patient is likely to be a healthier, more contented patient. Where improved health and patient satisfaction are concerned, there’s clearly no substitute for comprehensive patient education.
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