Development of a Course to Prepare Nurses to Train Expert Patients

Abstract

Introduction: With the emergence of the expert patient and the expansion of health literacy, the importance of planning and building health technologies aimed at teaching and training health professionals, especially nurses, due to their activities with patients in Primary Health Care, with the aim of meeting the real and constant demands of the expert patient, is evident.

Methods: Methodological study with a quantitative approach. The course was constructed based on a scope review, scientific reference, and observational visits during the months of September 2021 and August 2022. For validation, an organized electronic form was used with general information about the research and items of the course constructed for later evaluation by the judges with the three-point Likert scale and with the application of the Delphi Technique between the months of September and October 2022; for the agreement of the judges, the Content Validation Coefficient > 0.8 was considered.

Results: Based on the content selected in the scope review, the reference contribution, and the observational visits, the course was constructed. Nine judges participated in the validation stage in Delphi I with a total Content Validation Coefficient above 0.90 and with some suggestions for modifications and improvements pointed out by them. In Delphi II, six judges evaluated the course, resulting in a total Content Validation Coefficient of 0.99.

Conclusions: The course developed was considered valid to support the training of Primary Health Care nurses in the formation of the expert patient, with a view to promoting patient autonomy in self-care management, optimizing Primary Health Care, and reducing unnecessary hospital admissions.

Keywords: Primary Health Care; health education; nurse; patient safety; self-management of care.