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academies
March 04-05, 2019 | London, UK
European Nursing Congress
Journal of Intensive and Critical Care Nursing | Volume 2
Notes:
Health literacy as a strategy to improve communication with patients
Reezena H Malaska
Mee Memorial Hospital, USA
H
ealth literacy(HL), clear communication, collaborative
practice, a culture of safety, culture of enquiry, promoting
evidence-based practices, and patient centered care are among
many recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine
(IOM), regulatory agencies and experts (2010). HL, a fairly new
concept, is an integral part of clear effective communication
and has been recognized as having a significant impact on
the “health and wellbeing,” patient outcomes and healthcare
costs. The cost of healthcare expenditures due to low HL is an
additional $73 billion annually. Consider that only 12 percent
of adults in the United States (US) have the necessary skills to
navigate the complexities of the nation’s health care system
(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 2016).
Oftentimes, patients misunderstand health instructions and
are perceived as non-compliant. Adding to the complexities
of caring for these populations are the social determinants of
health (culture, families, communities, socio-economic status,
habits, and lifestyle choices). HL is defined as “the capacity to
obtain, process and understand basic health information and
services, to make appropriate health care decisions or act
on health information and the ability to access or navigate
the healthcare system” (AHRQ, 2015, p.2). HL applies to
everyone, every health care organization and a much bigger
problem than is recognized. HL is more than just about
patients not understanding medical vocabulary, it is about the
patient’s ability to understand health instructions, diagnosis,
medications, to actively participate in their treatment, care,
and informed decision-making during and after hospitalization
whether sick or healthy. It is imperative that nurses, healthcare
providers know how to assess each patient’s HL level prior
to, and incorporate principles of HL in communication and
patient teaching. If patients do not understand the healthcare
instructions they will be returning to the hospital quickly after
discharge. Clear, effective communication decreases medical
errors, length of stays, readmission, and improves quality,
safety, and outcomes.
e:
zeenamalaska@yahoo.com