The authority of the nurse as an educator

Abstract

Introduction: Actions taken by nurses within the boundaries of their professional duties, aimed at the successful education of patients, should have a significant impact on both the attitudes and beliefs of this particular audience. The authority of an educator might have a decisive influence on the success of this process. Given the complexity of the problem of authority, the primary goal of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the authority of nursing personnel as educators of patients with renal disorders.

The aim of the study was to analyze and evaluate the nursing staff’s authority as educators based on the opinions of patients with kidney disease, while taking into account the complexity of the issue of authority.

Materials and methods: The authors’ survey questionnaire was the main research tool. The study involved 255 people – patients in selected health care centres with renal care in Poland.

Results and conclusions: The study confirmed the hypothesis assumed in the introduction, which is also its final conclusion: most respondents agreed that nurses taking care of renal patients possess significant authority as educators, which largely influences patients’ satisfaction with the care provided to them.