Module Four

The Emergency Department is a source of teaching in many ways. The Emergency Department is a portal to health care for many patients, including those who do not have a primary care physician, those who do not have insurance, those with disease processes and those seeking crisis support or services.

In terms of patients without insurance or without a primary care doctor, the Emergency Department can be a valuable tool for education purposes. We as providers can educate patients on preventative measures, care resources and the importance of primary care. We can also teach patients about free resources available in the community such as low cost health and dental clinics and medication resources.

In terms of patients who already suffer from specific disease processes and consequences, we can educate them about life style modifications that can help alleviate symptoms of the disease process. We can educate them about the importance of following their specific medication regiment, about the importance of following physician recommendations and about signs and symptoms to report immediately to their physician or Emergency Department.

In terms of patients seeking crisis support or services, we can educate them about the availability of mental health professionals, about the importance to seek help immediately about any thoughts of self harm and about the resources and support groups available to these patients.

In general, patients in the Emergency Department should be taught at all points of their visit. Patients can be taught about medication side effects, precautions of medications given in the department and signs and symptoms to look out for demonstrating a need to return to the department. Emergency Department patients are very vulnerable, and every attempt should be made to provide them with education and resources.

I believe that every nursing and health care provider role involves some aspect of teaching. Whether it is the endoscopy nurse doing discharge teaching to a patient or the nurse educator of a hospital unit providing education to employees, every health care professional should include teaching in their daily regiments.

I feel that if nursing and health care providers are not involving teaching in their roles, they are providing a disservice to their patients. Having a patient in an office, clinic or hospital provides a great opportunity for teaching and education. When people are sick, they are looking for tools to help them improve their health, and health professionals are ideal people for that job.