Patient Education Barriers, Obstacles, & Solutions
1. Explain the between a barrier and an obstacle.
2. Choose one of the scenarios below and describe two potential barriers to teaching and
two potential obstacles to learning that are applicable to your chosen scenario.
1. A very experienced nurse caring for a patient who frequently visits the emergency
department and does not take their anti-hypertensive medications.
2. A nurse who is using a brand new electronic health record and caring for a patient
newly diagnosed with diabetes who is threatening to leave against medical advice.
3. A beginning nurse caring for multiple high acuity patients on a med-surgical floor
with no charge nurse, nurse technician, or secretary for the floor.
Sample Solution
Patient Education Barriers, Obstacles, & Solutions
Life is a journey and as with any journey it can present its share of obstacle and barriers. As long as we are breathing, obstacles and barriers will be a part of our human experience. It is how we relate to our obstacles and barriers that dictates the quality of our human experience. Barrier means a structure that bars passage, whereas obstacle means something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress. Often when we encounter difficult circumstances, they may produce an emotional reaction that causes us to interpret these situations as barriers, but most of the time it is just an obstacle. Whatever slows down your progress is an obstacle. Whatever impedes or stops your ability to progress, is a barrier. For example, a bad boss is an obstacle. He or she may periodically hinder your progress but you can always choose a detour.
