Out of all the many roles a nurse has “educator” is probably one of the most important ones. Every day we educate our patients on various things even when we don’t realize it. It can also be one of the most difficult and frustrating things nurses do as well. We have all probably had a patient at one time or another that could care less. When you speak to them, they are looking at the TV or are completely disengaged. What can we do when we have a non-compliant patient?
Health Belief Model is a tool to help patients make changes in a way that is comfortable for them. It suggests that a person’s belief in a personal threat of an illness together with a person’s belief in the effectiveness of the recommended health behavior will predict the likelihood the person will adopt the behavior. The patient’s actions depend on their understanding of the pros and cons to their health behavior. Effective non-biased communication with patients can lead to willingness as well as compliance.
There are six major components of the Health Belief Model: 1) Perceived susceptibility – Is the health problem real? 2) Perceived severity – Pt will not act on health issue unless they have an understanding of how serious health condition is. 3) Perceived benefits – Patient believes that a cure is possible. 4) Perceived costs – Refers to complexity and duration of treatment. Can they afford it? 5) Motivation – Desire to comply 6) Self-efficacy – Patient’s confidence in his/her ability to perform necessary measures.
An example I can think of is when I help out in cardiac rehab. Many cardiac patients eat, drink and smoke what they want. It is hard to talk to these patients about a healthier lifestyle. I try to be their “friend”. When I give them the chance to open up and have them tell me what works and what doesn’t. I see a big difference when I give them other options about smoking cessation, diet and exercise. They seem to be more interested in making changes even if they are small ones. I never give up!