Lyka Ann M.

Valdez

BSN 1-D

2nd Sem, AY 2023-2024

CASE STUDY

In a variety of healthcare settings, it is not unusual for nurses and other health professionals
to be faced with the challenge of caring for patients who demonstrate detrimental behaviors
based on misconceptions, misinformation, and faulty learning. These incorrect beliefs
and/or damaging behaviors are learned and can be difficult to change, even though they
negatively affect the ability of patients to deal with their illness, injury, or recovery and to
regain, maintain, or acquire a level of health and wellbeing. A team of healthcare
professionals at Rockville Medical University has been selected to tackle the problem of this
lack of accurate understanding of health information by a significant number of patients in
the hospital as well as in community-based facilities under the auspices of this institution.
An internal grant has been allocated by the university to establish a committee for the
development of teaching techniques and instructional materials that professionals in
different healthcare fields can use to try to replace patients’ faulty learning with more
accurate learning. As a nurse specialist in patient education, Anya Chou has been asked to
serve as chair of the Patient Education for Behavioral Change committee to accomplish
these goals. By consensus, the committee members have decided to explore theories,
ideas, and strategies, grounded in psychological learning theories, principles of education,
and the science of person-centered care, that can be employed to correct patients’
misinformation and improve their health literacy skills.

Answers to the following questions will be explored:

1. Why does faulty learning occur, and why is it so persistent? Identify and describe two
learning theories that could be particularly useful in explaining why patients may hold on to
false beliefs about healthcare interventions and treatments, and what each theory (or its sub
theories) reveals about why these beliefs and behaviors are so difficult to change.

- Cognitive dissonance theory: Patients may resist changing beliefs due to discomfort
with conflicting information. This theory suggests that people strive for consistency in
their beliefs and attitudes, which makes it difficult to accept information that contradicts
their existing opinions. Another theory is the **Social Learning Theory** which
emphasizes the influence of observing the behavior of others. Patients can cling to false
information they learn through social interactions, making it permanent.
2. How can each of the two previously noted learning theories contribute to an
understanding of the learning process (influence of external or internal factors, learner’s role
as more active or passive, the task of the educator, the motivational incentives, and the way
transfer of learning can occur).

- Cognitive dissonance theory: the theory emphasizes internal discomfort in the face of
conflicting beliefs and encourages patients to resolve this dissonance. **Social learning
theory**, on the other hand, emphasizes observational learning, where patients acquire
behavior by observing others, suggesting the importance of external influences in
learning.

3. Using these theories singly or in combination, what strategies can be employed to

help patients alter faulty thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and acquire new information, and
how can health professionals ensure that new learning is relatively permanent?

- Combining Strategies: In the presence of cognitive dissonance, eliminate discomfort

by presenting information in a way that minimizes conflict. Use **social learning theory**
by including positive role models or experiences in learning materials to use
observational learning to change behavior. Health professionals can ensure persistence
through continuous reinforcement, personal training and the creation of supportive
environments. Regular monitoring and feedback mechanisms increase the effectiveness
of interventions. In addition, promoting a person-centered approach ensures
individualized treatment tailored to patients’ needs and preferences..