Assessment of the role of the Nurses in Implementing Health Education for clients in Primary Health Care Centers in Erbil

Abstract

Background: Health education is the profession of educating people about health. The WHO defined health education as comprising of consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some of communication designed to improve health literacy , including improving knowledge and developing life skills which are conductive to individual and community health. Health education begins with people.

Objectives: The study aimed to identify nurse's knowledge about health education in Primary Health Centers and to identify the effect of variables on their knowledge.

Methodology: A descriptive study was carried out to assess the role of nurses in primary health care centers in Erbil city; in 20-1-2011 to 20 -5-2011. One hundred nurses were included in the study. The questionnaire was designed which consisted of: socio demographic characteristics for study sample, and questions related to knowledge about health education and nurses roles. The total sample of the study was 100 nurses.

Results: of the results indicate that most nurses have good knowledge about health education but they don't practice their role in primary health centers because there is not good program about health education.

Conclusion: The conclusion of this study indicates that most of the study sample has good knowledge about health education because most of them have long employment and gained good experiences but some variables like address and sex does not effect on their knowledge.

Recommendations: Health education should be done for clients in all primary health centers by nurses depending on priority needs, trained nurses, and good cooperation with ministry of health.