Implementing education plans

To help them adhere to treatment, people with eczema need to:

It would be logical to assume that someone who has lived with eczema for many years does not require much education. However, in reality they are unlikely to have received much education at all and may benefit from education as much as someone who is newly diagnosed.

Understand treatment goals
Know how to take/apply the treatment
Perceive that treatment is working
Be able to fit the treatment into their lifestyle

Given the time available during consultations and people’s ability to take in information, it is probably best to provide education in a series of bite-sized chunks. Establishing what your patients already know will help you to devise a phased education plan for them, which can be implemented over a number of consultations.

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Why not keep a record of the information you have given to them, by using our downloadable template, to avoid repetition and maintain the education momentum. Other useful reminder guides and counselling cards are included in our patient support pack.

When talking to your patients, assessing their learning ability by considering factors like their age, language skills and educational level, can help you to tailor your approach accordingly. Any information you provide verbally should ideally be supported with visual aids, demonstrations (where relevant) and materials to take home. You can also ask your patients if they want you to repeat anything and check their understanding by asking them to repeat back what they have heard.

Helping patients to understand eczema » « Supporting your patients