To generalize, my husband shops like a woman, and I shop like a man. I usually go to the store for one item, grab it, and have no desire to linger. Conversely, my husband enjoys walking up and down all the aisles and is more patient in finding bargains than I. He would be considered the more “expert” shopper of the two of us. Many years ago, he told me that there was a fantastic “warehouse club” that had opened, and we should go check it out.
Since I tend to dislike shopping (other than grocery), I resisted. Eventually he wore me down and off we went. I walked into this new store and instantly fell in love with Costco.
It is funny that I was resistant to visiting the store for so long, yet when I actually saw what they had to offer, I was hooked. Now I was the one walking up and down all the aisles, marveling at the fact that I could purchase a huge box of bean burritos for $7.99.
You know the saying, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t”? In other words, it may be better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing. I knew my local stores and had shopped there hundreds of times. I didn’t feel the need to try Costco; there was no reason to stray from the devil I knew. My husband spent a lot of time convincing me to change my shopping ways. When I finally saw what I was missing, I felt foolish for being so resistant.
Sometimes we experience resistance to change in our workplaces as well. An educator I spoke with last week mentioned that the physician she works with wants her to see ALL patients one-on-one for diabetes education. He is not supportive of group education. She has tried to convince him of the many benefits of group education, but he simply won’t listen.
Maybe this particular physician believes that one-on-one education is the devil that he knows, so to speak, so why make a change? Just because we believe in the benefits that group education can offer, doesn’t mean that others will come to embrace the idea. Other educators may have to see it for themselves, just as I needed to walk through the doors of my neighborhood Costco.
Do you run into similar barriers at your workplace? What can you do to convince fellow educators to try the Conversation Map tools, or other means of group education? You may want to try one of these suggestions:
- Show the Maps to the doubting party and invite them to observe a portion of your next session. If they have been trained, ask them to co-facilitate with you.
- Remind your colleagues of the effectiveness of group education.
- For most of us, delivering group education as opposed to one-on-one education is cost effective. According to the AADE Fact Sheet on Diabetes Education, diabetes educators see between four and ten patients per day. When group education is implemented, the educator can easily have four to ten patients in one class! As an educator, I could easily see three or four one-on-one patients during the afternoon, and then facilitate a group class in the evening. This made for a more effective use of my time, and generated more income for my diabetes program.
- Let your colleagues know that the diabetes Conversation Map tools meet the ADA recognition criteria for a complete DSME curriculum, and can be used as a stand-alone curriculum.
If you try one of these suggestions with your “resistant” colleagues, they may find the devil that they are getting to know is not the devil at all, but rather a fun and effective means to educate and engage their patients!
Have any of you had trouble coming to agreement on the type of education/curriculum you will provide for your patients? How did you resolve these issues? Let me know!
Cathy