Teaching strategies for literate and illiterate

Outline Objective Definition of terms (literacy , illiterate , low literacy and , health literacy) Communication tool The population group at risk for illiteracy Teaching strategies for low literacy clients The health literacy Teaching strategies for literacy clients Internal and External Problems Hindering Literacy Development in the Arab Region Conclusion Summary Article References

objectives At the end of lecture the student will be able to : Define the terms :literacy , illiterate , low literacy and health literacy correctly List 6 out of 8 teaching strategies for client illiterate or low literacy List 7 out of 9 communication tools List 3 out of 5 teaching strategies for literacy

Definition of terms Literacy : is the ability to write ,read ,understand and interpret written information The ability to use written information to achieve one’s goals , and to develop one’s knowledge

Definition of terms Illiterate : someone who is unable to read or write at all Low literacy :the person have tourable reading and writing common information to meet their everyday needs, and comprehend information in a level of difficulty

Communication tools : 1-Sit and talk at eye level when possible 2-Maintain eye contact 3-Avoid medical jargon 4-Use an interpreter when appropriate 5-Identify key learners 6-Clarify medical terminology 7-Break messages into short statements 8-Visuals / simple design 9-Highlights 3 points to remember

*The population group at risk for illiteracy : 1. The economically disadvantaged 2. Older adult 3. Immigrants(particularly illegal ones) 4. Racial minorities 5. School dropouts 6. Poor health status due to chronic mental and physical problems.

Teaching strategies for clients with low literacy Establish a trusting relationship before beginning the teaching- learning process. Explain information in simple concrete terms using everyday living room language . Avoid medical term and change to simple understandable words. Keep motivation high

Continue Use the smallest amount of information. Keep teaching sessions short limiting them to no more 20-30 minutes but 15-20 min is the ideal time limit. Remember client with poor comprehensive and reading skills are easily overwhelmed .

continue Teach one step at a time : help to reduce anxiety and confusion and give enough time for clients to understand each item Also give the clients chance to ask questions after each block of information has been presented

Continue… Allow patients the chance to restate information in their own words and to demonstrate any procedure being taught Use repetition to reinforce information To help clients understand their situations and learn important self-care measure

teaching strategies for literate patients

Health literacy Is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain ,process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.. * In different way:- (patients who understands the instructions about medications, patients who is aware of the alternative treatment that might be considered , patient who commit for follow up visit , etc….)

Why is health literacy important Low health literacy affect : - make medication errors - increased doctor visit and hospitalization. -increase cost

Areas commonly associated with health literacy include: Patient-physician communication Drug labeling Medical instructions and medical compliance Health information publications and other resources Informed consent Giving patient history

Teaching a literate client is relatively easier and more efficient if the nurse is qualified and has integrated communication skills 1- Choosing the suitable strategy depends on time provided ,available material, learning needs ,preferences and status of the patient .

2-When teaching a health literate patient the nurse should not always presume that the patient fully understands professional terminology or what is expected of him\her . Simple language is preferred even with literate patients 3-Evaluate patients understanding before, during, and after the introduction of information and services is crucial

strategies used with a literate client –just like any other client - can vary from a traditional lecture to role-playing ,but the difference lies in their high learning efficiency due to health literacy A preferable strategy might be one that requires active receiving and selective feedback by the learner such as : -explanation or description -one to one discussion -answering questions -group discussion

A good strategy with literate patients is the “ teach back” strategy Explain assess Clarify understanding

4-Because a literate patient is a confident , he\she is not easily intimidated and is less likely to hesitate to ask a question .but to make sure that the patient does not have any questions ask if he\she has any questions . if not, you can help introduce questions by saying “a few frequently asked questions are……” 5-encourage the patient to ask and share their health concerns by asking them to write them down on a peace of paper and inquire about them from the nurse or the primary care provider .

6-Computer-assisted learning programs and using the internet can be used by people of different ages , but it should be established that not all the health information available online is accredited or reliable. -The internet offers easy access to knowledge for a big number of people with minimum expense and it is time efficient . -Another use is communicating between clients and care providers. -Other benefit is using computers or smart phones to display audio and video content at home or anywhere at anytime desired .

A modern strategy is applications on smart phones, some use them as reminders or references . This is not structurally used method but it provides services for people interested in specific domains such as nutrition, fitness and workout applications

Internal and External Problems Hindering Literacy Development in the Arab Region

Conclusion — It is important to understanding the all teaching strategies to communication with patient. — Nurses need to know how to identify patients with literacy problem by assess their need, and choose appropriate teaching strategies that help patients with poor reading and comprehension skill to better and more safely care for themselves

References : 1-kozier and Erb’s fundamentals of nursing ,chapter 27 2-The online journal of issues in nursing nursingworld.org 3-nchealthliteracy.org 4-U.S. Department of health and human services 5- health.gov 6-greatist.com 7- nurse as educator , chapter 7