The Project

Already the issue of the study changed by placing the nurse in a dual role of "speaker" and "listener" as well as the dual role of the patient as "listener' and "speaker". The dual roles allow the nurse to evaluate barriers to the information provided that might hinder a patient's personal health care literacy.
Study objectives include:
Background Information
1. Define health care literacy/illiteracy
2. Develop an annotated bibliography of current medical profession initiatives for the promotion of health care literacy.
3. Use The Fifth Vital Sign and REALM as a class project in a non HIPPA/IRB situation.
Compliance with 2009 Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals by promoting effective communication among caregivers and stimulating patient (and family) involvement.
4.. Survey practicing nurses regarding their adaption methods to individualize their patient teaching following role-playing exercises.
5. Develop a Story Board self-education packet promoting improved nurse/patient communication to be used in a hospital setting.
Examining compliance to the 2009 Patient Safety Goal Safe Use of Anticoagulants
6. Make a textual analysis of frequently utilized educational brochures and information sheets for Coumadin, one commonly prescribed anticoagulant.

I have research material and preliminary dialogue with practitioners in the fields of nursing, literacy, sociology, and public health.
I am expanding my bibliography base into nurse specific research-based literature.
I have developed a plan to administer the FVS and am awaiting the REALM Kit to proceed.
I was going to use SMOG for measuring the gobbledygook in the textual analysis, but following Dr. K's recommendation I will be looking at the information through a Technical Writing Graphic evaluation as well as following Dr.D. suggestion for checking out "Lexile".

Two situations peaked my interest in this study that may provide entry anecdotal entry into any write up of my study. One was the method information was given to my 23 year old son with learning disabilities. The other was overhearing colleagues "educate" patients. I believe we, as nurses, can do better in educating patients while allowing them to participate in their health care. Knowledge, choices, and reason all center around a health care literacy that clarifies what the problem is, what needs to be known, and what happens if guidelines are not followed.