Paper
Friday, July 15, 2005
This presentation is part of : Nursing Scholarship at the Bedside: Focus on Patient Education as a Path to Renewal
Estimate of the Literacy Level in Oncology Patients During Acute Hospitalization
Kristin Schuster, BS, RN, OCN, Hematology/Oncology , University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA

This session will describe the 2nd of three studies conducted in the health literacy program of research. A Nursing Research Council (NRC) presentation by the Patient Education Coordinator and nurse manager of the psychiatric unit describing the success of the study “Establishing a Baseline Literacy Level in Adult Psychiatric Patients” raised the interest of the NRC oncology nurse representative. Her enthusiasm about possible usefulness of study findings encouraged fellow oncology unit staff nurses to agree to replicate the study with their patients. The Oncology nurses were able to witness that staff nurses actually could conduct research by focusing on the patient. Acknowledging that reading level is individual, the nurses on the inpatient oncology unit decided to replicate the study in hopes of determining the reading level of patients they served. The goal was to provide meaningful written education handouts of complex treatments and self-care that best suited the needs of these patients. To make decisions relevant to their oncology care, patients need information that is readable.