UNIT V - HEALTH EDUCATION TEAM

A. Role of the Nurse as a Health Educator

Nurse educators play a vital role in ensuring that the next generation of nurses is prepared to
meet the growing demand for healthcare services. Nurse educators are also instrumental in shaping the
future of the nursing profession, encouraging a focus on holistic patient care and illness prevention, as
well as promoting community health. (Nurse Educators’ Vital Role in the Future of Nursing, Jun 30, 2017
| Blog, News, Sponsored Post)
The nationwide nursing shortage isn’t slowing down anytime soon, as the baby boomer
population continues to age and average life expectancy increases, building demand for medical care.
That’s not all—the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts nearly 1.1 million new registered nurses (RNs)
will be needed by 2022 in order to replace 500,000 retirees and fill 100,000 new RN positions each year.
This is good news—and an ideal opportunity to advance your nursing career to become a nurse
educator. After all, who is going to train all these new nurses?
Nurse educators play a vital role in ensuring that the next generation of nurses is prepared to
meet the growing demand for healthcare services. Nurse educators are also instrumental in shaping the
future of the nursing profession, encouraging a focus on holistic patient care and illness prevention, as
well as promoting community health. Right now there is a strong need for educators — 83 percent of
nursing programs sought to hire new faculty in 2015.
• Why are nurse educators so important?
Nurse educators serve an important role within the hospital system. Having professional nurses
who are trained to deliver information to other nurses, who understand their challenges and how to
convey critical and lifesaving knowledge is essential to a hospital’s success. A nurse educator can help
mitigate mistakes, streamline processes, shorten new hire ramp time and identify opportunities to
improve processes and mitigate risks to the patient, nurse and hospital.
As registered nurses return to school and new students seek entry to BSN programs, colleges
and universities are under increased pressure to find qualified faculty to educate and train future
nurses. Thus, nurse educators’ skills and experience are continually in demand, and essential for
expanding the RN workforce to meet the healthcare needs of current and future generations.
• How are nurse educators preparing nurses for the future?
Nurse educators are instrumental in shaping the future of healthcare by providing their students
not only with the technical skills that they need to be successful in their field, but also the refined skills
and depth of knowledge that will help advance quality of patient care.
• The importance of community nursing:
As the focus of patient care shifts from acute care to prevention models, a nurse’s role expands
to health education and advocacy, community care, agency collaboration and political and social reform.
Today’s nurses need to understand their evolving role in the community and how to provide holistic care
for patients. As a nurse educator, you help nurses understand the principles behind the work that they
do and how they can proactively contribute to the health and well-being of the communities they serve.
• Essential leadership skills:
Good leaders aren’t born—they’re made! Nurse educators help prepare today’s nurses for
future leadership roles by introducing management and organizational theories that will allow nurses to
take initiative in a variety of roles. In addition, nurse educators help students learn how to improve
patient-care quality, how to make cost-effective decisions and how to evaluate patient outcomes to
improve future practice.
• How to implement evidence-based practice:
Nurse educators can also help nurses learn how to critically evaluate new research. This is an
important skill that allows nurses to become more effective decision-makers and problem-solvers and
help improve patients’ health and well-being.
• Becoming a nurse educator:
Becoming a nurse educator doesn’t mean that you have to forgot your clinical work; many nurse
educators continue to care for patients in addition to their teaching duties. In order to become a nurse
educator, you must obtain your MSN. Educational opportunities such as Herzing’s MSN-Nurse Educator
program empower students to fulfill the ongoing and vital need for quality instructors in the field.
Helping to shape the future generation of nurses is a truly rewarding career, and one that is essential to
ensuring quality healthcare for our nation. By choosing to pursue a career in nursing education, today’s
nurses can help pave the way for a healthier future.
1. Giver of Information
Giver of Information term that was identified in 1948 by US educational theorist Kenneth D.
Benne, 1908-1992 and 20th-century US social psychologist Paul Sheats following studies of discussion
groups conducted at the National Training Laboratories.
Information Giver: "An information giver is a person who freely imparts knowledge”.
2. Facilitator of Learning is a teacher who does not operate under the traditional concept of
teaching, but rather is meant to guide and assist students.
in learning for themselves - picking apart ideas, forming their own thoughts about them, and
owning material through self-exploration and dialogue. A learning facilitator helps others utilize their
own knowledge and abilities to achieve their learning objectives. As a learning facilitator, you are
different from a traditional teacher; instead of working in a classroom and explaining procedures or skills
through lectures, you engage students in developing their skills by using their own knowledge to
discover new information. You guide your students through the learning process, assisting them at their
own pace. Learning facilitators work in a variety of fields, including technology, education, or business
and lead workshops and other training exercises. Qualifications to pursue a career as a learning,
facilitator include proficiency in the industry in which you want to work and experience developing one-
on-one and group training programs.
 3. Coordinator of Teaching in Nursing - the patient coordinator is responsible for educating
patient about their health condition. Giving health teaching is part of the nursing responsibilities.
4. Advocate for the Client - a client advocate is broadly an employee or a centralized office
which advocates for the clients wants and needs. They can assist client directly, but their more essential
functions are in forming a bridge between customers and organization team members.
B. Role of the Other Members of the Health Team
Each healthcare provider is alike a member of the team with special role. Some team members
are doctors or technicians who help diagnose disease. Others are experts who treat disease or care for
patients physical and emotional needs. The health care teams include the following:
1. Doctors
2. Physician Assistance
3. Nurses
4. Pharmacists
5. Dentist
6. Technologist and Technicians
7. Therapist and Rehabilitation specialist
8. Emotional, social, and spiritual support providers
9. Administrative and support staff
10. Community health workers and patient navigators

C. Role of the Family in Health Education

Families provide the support and conditions needed for healthy living, prevention of disease and
opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment to avert or delay complications.
Interventions for health to be effective, must necessarily take into accounts the social
determinants of health.
Families have long been a focus in health and illness. Historically, families have been viewed
both as the source of illness and poor health and as the social unit responsible for the health and well
being of its members. Much of the early research on the role of the family in health and illness relied on
reports from the mother and/ or wife, who was seen as the major health care provider in most families.
Studies in psychology and medicine initially focused on the family as the source of physical and
psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia. With the advent of a national emphasis on prevention
via Healthy People initiative, the family gain additional attention The provision of basic needs shelter,
food, health, and illness care-is one.

References:
dailynurse.com/nurse-educators-vital-role-future-nursing/