Sir L

At the end of the teaching session, my patient is supposed to have learned the following: the correct performance of the skill (relaxation technique), importance of the skill to his condition (post CVA, hypertensive) and when to use the technique. Looking back, I think I can say that our session was successful. It went better than expected and I believe this is partly because I came to our session prepared - and this is one of my strong points in the activity conducted.
Before the teaching session, I was able to talk to sir Laddie and to know more about his condition. I was thus able to better relate the technique to his condition, so he readily understood the importance of technique to his health. We got off in a good start, so we were able to establish rapport (as good as a 10-mins session could allow) and I was able to introduce the technique appropriately. While teaching the relaxation techniques, I was able to use facilitatory voice, encouraged questions from Sir L and utilised visual aid. I prepare an aid that has a diagram of the relaxation response by Dr. Herbert Benson.
If there are points I could have done better, I think I could have thought of going to a quiet room before starting the introduction. Since I was going to teach a relaxation technique, it was wise to prepare my environment accordingly so it can facilitate the activity. Ma’am Dana suggested it before we got into the teaching part per se, so we were able to transfer. I think I said too much information in just one sentence and this is also one of my weak points. Another one was that I didn’t realize that the way I used my hands to express myself could have been distracting for the patient. I also could have used concrete examples to answer my patient’s questions regarding possible movement to do when he feels “nangangalay”. I could have also better demonstrated the technique if I completed the 5 mins required for the technique and asked him to return-demo in a similar fashion. I also could have facilitated relaxation more if I asked him to use his imagination to rid himself of distracting and stressful thoughts.  Also, I could have taught him proper deep diaphragmatic breathing before the relaxation response itself.
Sir L was very cooperative and amiable. This, added to ma’am Dana’s experience with him, I think it’s safe to assume that we were able to target the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domain in our session. Referring to my instruction design for him, I can say that I was able to follow it; from the objectives, content, strategy, resource and evaluation. I was also able to conclude our session well and parted with sir L in good terms. Before leaving the clinic, I said my farewell to him. I think it’s safe to say we both learned something from the activity. Only, he didn’t know that he was teaching me too - even more that what he has gotten from me.