Principles of Adult Learning

Occupational health nurses spend considerable time teach ing employees about health, prevention of illness, and often how to live w ith chron ic i ll ness. Many opportunit ies for sign if icant teaching occur in the employment setting. This important part of any occupational health nurse's job may be carried out more effectively with an understanding and application of a few principles of adult learn ing . Most of the principles presented in this paper are famil iar to nurses, but a review may serve as a useful rem inder. The principles presented here are not an exhaustive list rather, they have been selected because they represent those of particular significance in patient teaching.