The following is a summary of “Impact of patients as trainers on registered nurses’ patient engagement in primary care clinics: a qualitative study,” published in the December 2023 issue of Primary Care by Morin, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to address the impact of a novel educational intervention in primary care clinics (PCCs) aiming to enhance Registered Nurses’ (RNs) competencies through Patients as Trainers (PTs). The primary focus was to explore the effects of this intervention on RNs’ patient engagement practices in PCCs.

In 2019, the Quebec Ministry of Health introduced a guide for RNs in PCCs to improve their competencies. Subsequently, the F2PL project implemented a train-the-trainer intervention involving PTs as educators. The PTs provided andragogic content based on their first-hand experiences to enrich patient engagement. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, conducting individual interviews with 10 RNs and 3 PTs. The analysis aimed to unravel changes in RNs’ practices, identify barriers, and uncover facilitators to adopting the new patient engagement practices. Thematic analysis was conducted using the Montreal Model conceptual framework, condensing emerging themes into propositions.

The educational intervention driven by PTs significantly impacted RNs’ practices in three ways: fostering awareness or reinforcing general principles, rekindling commitment to established principles, and promoting the development of new professional skills.

The effective support of PTs in the educational intervention positively influenced RNs, motivating them to consistently implement patient engagement practices in the primary care setting.

Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-023-02210-6