Tina Magers, MSN, RN-BC; Expert EBP mentor & Nursing Professional Development and Nursing Research Coordinator from Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (MBMC), Jackson, MS recently presented the Evidence-based Practice Patient Education Project, a "new knowledge and innovation" story of how nurses changed patient outcomes with technology at the Telehealth Conference in Tampa Bay, Florida. In this project, they used Telehealth to provide patient education via the patient's television through an "iTigr" system where the nurse assigned videos through their computers.
"This project stemmed from the awareness of patient satisfaction and the need to more effectively educate our patients. The evidence showed most patients are visual learners and comprehension increases when they choose when to learn when they choose (adult learning theory). An interdisciplinary team including nurses evaluated the resources available in the hospital in 2012. The old system required a nurse (usually) or patient to use the telephone in the room to dial up an education video to watch. Only four patients could view a video at one time. The team searched for a better resource to help the healthcare team educate our patients."
They found a product that provided customization by the nurse to “push out” videos to a cue on the patient’s television in the room. The patient, family and healthcare team could monitor the progress on the “to do” list. The nurse or providers could follow-up with the patients to answer any questions or concerns regarding the videos they had watched. They knew that patients were empowered when they had the information they needed to make informed healthcare decisions.
They experienced tremendous outcomes with an overall increase of 713% in one year of education videos watched by patients. The average number of videos viewed each month continues to rise. It is with great satisfaction that they report on the results of providing effective education that is available 24/7 right in the patient’s room.
For further detailed information regarding the implementation and outcomes of this EBP project, you can contact Tina Magers at tmagers@mbhs.org.