What it means
In the body, feedback loops keep things steady. In negative feedback, a change triggers a response that reverses it, as when a rise in blood sugar releases insulin to lower it; most of the body's controls work this way. In positive feedback, a change is made stronger, as when oxytocin strengthens contractions in labor. In communication, feedback is a response that tells someone how they are doing or whether a message was understood.
For the nurse
Ask for feedback during teaching, for example with the teach-back method, where the client explains in their own words what they learned.
Related terms
homeostasis
The body's way of keeping its inside conditions, such as temperature, fluids and blood sugar, steady.
biofeedback
A technique in which a person uses readings from sensors to learn to control body functions such as muscle tension or heart rate.
teach-back
A way to check understanding by asking the client to explain, in their own words, what they have just been taught.