If your hospital is not using video as part of the patient education process and you want to have a greater impact on your patient’s learning and understanding using video to supplement your interactions can help both your patients and 
their family caregivers. Here are some tips to help you incorporate video with your patients:
- Always preview any educational video in advance to ensure appropriateness and your ability to answer questions.
- Never prescribe or recommend a video unless the patient has been assessed to determine their current level of understanding and ability to learn. It is important that any video they watch match up with their current situation.
- Identify the purpose of the video and how the patient or caregiver will benefit from the information presented.
- Point out what to look for with cues to help the patient or caregiver know when specific information appears.
- Provide a pen and paper and encourage note taking for questions and confusion.
- Let them know that you will return to discuss the information with them. Provide a specific time range if possible.
- Use lead-in’s to help set up or position the video for the patient. Examples include:
“Listen for this term…”
“Think of similar examples…”
“Watch for…”
“List the things in the video that…”
If is very important to follow up after the patient has watched the video:
- Return to discuss the video with the patient within the time frame specified.
- Ask questions to check for understanding.
- Go over their list of questions, notes and confusion points.
- Address their questions and clear up any confusion.
- Reinforce key points.
- Connect the concepts in the video to real examples.
- Ask, “what did you see or think, etc…”
- Encourage the patient or caregiver to view the program again if necessary and follow up later to see if their comprehension improved.
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Video is a great way to connect at a deeper level with your patients but only if you have previously assessed the patient and follow up to engage them in discussion. Video should never be used as a replacement to one-on-one education but a supplement to help learning and understanding.
For more information on using video in patient education download our free Patient Education Kit for access to tips, research, video and a special book offer.
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