Strengthening the effectiveness of patient education: applying principles of adult education.

In spite of the recognized significance of patient education, many factors contribute to difficulties in providing effective patient teaching: diminished time from reduced hospital stays, the shortage of nursing personnel, and often, the patient's compromised physical and emotional status. With these constraints, teaching must be effective and efficient. In reviewing the literature, primary emphasis was found on providing sound clinical information with little attention to the techniques of effective methods for teaching adults. This article draws upon the principles of andragogy--the methods of teaching adults delineated by Malcolm Knowles--to provide a conceptual framework for developing effective patient education practice. Examples of both effective and ineffective practice are provided from the nursing literature. The information provided should assist nurses in understanding how adults learn and provide them with a structure to use in tailoring their teaching to meet the individual needs of their patients.