Be Resourceful When Your Patient has Special Needs
Patient education is always a challenge, but even more so for a patient who is developmentally delayed or learning disabled. By tailoring your teaching to match his learning style, you'll minimize the risk of any misunderstanding and reduce the chances of legal action.
Keep in mind that people who are developmentally delayed have below-average intelligence and cognitive impairments that make it difficult for them to process, store, and retrieve information. Those with just a learning disability are of average or above-average intelligence, but have difficulty understanding or using spoken or written language.
Here's how you can overcome barriers that might make learning difficult for these patients.
Take your patient to a quiet area if he has trouble picking out specific sounds--say, the sound of your voice over those of others talking in the vicinity. Be sure to speak slowly and keep your explanations simple. Use pictures, charts, and handouts to supplement your teaching.
Don't rush your patient, especially if he has difficulty finding the right words to articulate what he wants to say. Allow him to answer your questions at his own pace.
Use literal, concrete terms to teach your patient with an integrative processing disorder. People with this disorder are unable to understand the figurative meaning of words.
Use audio or videotapes to reinforce your verbal instructions if your patient has trouble with certain aspects of visual perception (for example, reading a pamphlet or judging distances).
Teach in short, frequent sessions if your patient has memory problems. Check whether he has "stored" the information by periodically asking him to explain what you've taught him.
Finally, be sure to document all your patient teaching, including the extra steps you've taken to make sure the patient understands your instructions
