Improving Health Literacy in an Academic Medical Center

Stikes, Reetta

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Reetta Stikes, MSN, RNC-NIC, CLC
Nursing Education and Research, University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY
M. Cynthia Logsdon, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAAN
Nursing, University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe practical steps to improve health communication between providers and patients/families.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to describe a process for the evaluation and development of patient education materials that meet national health literacy standards.

Background: Health literacy is the ability to obtain and process health information in order to make informed healthcare decisions. More than a third of adults in the United States lack sufficient health literacy skills to effectively navigate the healthcare system. Health literacy is of particular importance to maternal-child health because parent’s health literacy influences child health outcomes.

Purpose: To enhance leadership skills through guiding an interprofessional team to improve communication of health information to families served by the Center for Women and Infants (CWI).

Process: An evidence-based process was used to assess written education materials, preferred learning styles and health literacy levels of families served by CWI. A luncheon was hosted to discuss education materials used by community organizations that provide care in the first postpartum year. All CWI nurses were provided education on basic steps to improve patient communications. A Nurse as Teacher CE program was implemented 6/12/2013 with presentations by national speaker, panel of staff nurses, and local experts.

Outcomes: All educational materials were evaluated. Twenty-nine percent were not suitable. Eight essential patient education topics were identified in response to feedback from community leaders. Development of new materials will occur in fall 2013. Evaluations of CE program demonstrated an increase in knowledge related to health literacy. HCAHPS for 2013 to date demonstrate a 3% increase in patient satisfaction with discharge but no significant change in satisfaction with nurse communication compared to 2011.

Future Implications: Data collection for patient surveys continues. Updated materials will focus on essential elements of maternal-newborn care and be provided in the preferred learning format. Partnership with community leaders will continue. Finally, the fellow was able to create a shared vision for health literacy and put processes in place that improved health communications, which will serve as a pilot for hospital-wide implementation.

See more of: 2012-2013 Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy Invited Posters
See more of: Invited Posters