What is a good educator? A qualitative study on the perspective of individuals with coronary heart disease

Background: Patient views are especially important in patient education, as patient involvement is essential. However, no empirical research clarifies what knowledge, skills and competencies are needed for health professionals to competently serve as a good educator according to the patients themselves.

Aim: To explore what qualities patients with coronary heart disease perceive in a good educator.

Methods: A qualitative research method, with semi-structured individual interviews, was used in this study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants from a general hospital in Iceland and in Norway. The data were analysed using systematic text condensation.

Results: The participants included 17 patients who had been through a percutaneous coronary intervention and participated in formal patient education after discharge from hospital. The patients saw a good educator as one who they feel is trustworthy and who individualizes the education to patients' needs and context and translates general information to their personal situation in lay language. Building trust was dependent on the patients' perceiving the educator to be knowledgeable and good at connecting with the individual patient, so that the patients feel they are being treated as a whole person with equality and respect.

Conclusions: The patients perceived the capability of building trust and tailoring the education to the individual as the most prominent characteristics of a good educator. Training skills that facilitate patients' trust, being observant of the patient and his learning needs and adjusting the patient education to individual needs and situations should be key objectives in health professionals' training in patient education.