What it means
Care aimed at staying healthy rather than treating an illness: healthy eating, exercise, sleep, not smoking, vaccines, screening tests and safety at home. It is one of the main areas of the NCLEX test plan (Health Promotion and Maintenance), which also covers growth and development, pregnancy and newborn care, and aging.
For the nurse
Teaching is the nurse's main tool here. Find out what the client already knows and wants to change, use plain words and short steps, and check understanding by asking the client to explain or show it back (teach-back).
At a glance
| Spanish | promoción de la salud |
|---|---|
| Also written | health-promotion |
Related terms
vaccine
A product that trains the immune system to protect the body against a specific disease.
evidence-based practice
Care that combines the best research findings with clinical experience and the client's own wishes.
self-care
The things people do for themselves to look after their own health and daily needs.