Steven Keating Patient Education Summary

Steven Keating, a MIT student knew there was something wrong with his health when he began to smell phantom vinegar smells for around 30 seconds every day. He decided to take action, and he went in for an MRI. The scan showed an abnormality in his brain which had grown into a tumor. The tumor was so large and it had to be removed as soon as possible. After the surgery, he requested to have his genome sequenced and he also wanted the raw data from his scans. The fact that he was able to approach his own cancer in such an inquisitive way, inspired other scientists to get back into their labs and continue doing their extensive research on cancer. Because of Keating’s unique experience with his own health, he is now advocating for patients to …show more content…
If patients are better educated on what the doctor is telling them, then they will take the doctors instructions more seriously. This is a crucial part of nursing and patient care. A nurse has to be there for patient education. The nurse’s aides can do almost as much as the nurse does with respect to the physical work. However, when it comes time to discharge a patient, the nurse is always called in to give the patient education. In this session, the nurse can either give the patient a few brief points about his diagnosis and instructions for taking medications, or the nurse can take a few extra minutes to make certain the patient knows why they are taking specific medications and how it will benefit them. These few minutes can make the difference between a nurse who cares that her patient will have the right mindset when going in for treatments, and a nurse who is running to give medications to another patient. If nurses will take the time to ensure that their patients have a proper understanding of their illness and the treatment process, there can be a great improvement in the recovery rate of