23 Patient Instructions and Education

Clinically, you have primarily worked on fellow classmates who know exactly what’s required of them at all times and who understand all of your explanations because they have intimate knowledge of the field.

Those days are behind you.  Real patients have no idea as to what they’re supposed to do during the examination, and, most likely, your current explanations mystify them.

So it’s time to go back and review the instructions that you offer your patients.  And to ponder how you’ll explain common ocular conditions, and how to clearly describe what you’re going to do about them to make your patient lead a better life.

We’re all different in how we approach this, so I’ll offer general principles to guide you.

Use sixth grade language when possible (it’s always possible)

Use the fewest words possible

Patients will generally respond well to information presented in this way.  If they want more information, they’ll ask.  When they ask, you can expand further on what you told them.  Most patients, though, generally won’t ask for further information/clarification.

Listen to how your consultants present things, and marvel at our super-amazing patient instructions/education.  Be aware, though, that that amazing-ness took lots of trial and error and time to develop; we expect the same will be true for you.  Use the two principles above to always guide you, and I think you’ll arrive there more quickly.