Assessing the Patient and Family's Readiness and Motivation to Learn

At the point of entry to a service, on admission, and with each teaching/learning encounter the patient's readiness and motivation to learn must be assessed. Patients may be ready to learn one topic and not ready for another. For example they may be ready to learn about medications and side effects but not ready to learn about dressing changes.Cues to a patient's readiness to learn and motivation:

The patient/family members:

a. Ask questions that indicate interest and reflect learning

b.Show interest in their treatment and progress

c.Pay attention to instructions, repeat, restate, and redefine information

d.Demonstrate the desire to learn more and modify behaviors as needed

e.Participate in their care

f. Patient-family-provider interactions include discussions about learning

g. Expresses willingness to achieve goals of health promotion and attainment, wellness, or comfort

Assess the patient's emotional state, developmental level, health practices, socio-cultural background, religious beliefs, support systems, readiness and motivation.

Assist in motivating patients by explaining how learning new skills and behaviors can help them feel better, promote independence, assist them to return to their usual state of health, and perhaps slow the progress of the illness (if appropriate). Ask the patient what their concerns are. What do want to learn? Find out what specifically motivates the patient - for example: returning to work, increasing ability to tolerate activity, earlier discharge, weight loss, etc.