This journal will contain a summary of this week’s reading assignment and how the information read will improve my skills related to critical thinking. The reading this week covered the topics of literacy in the adult client population, instructional methods and settings, and instructional materials.
In this country, 52% of the population are literate. The rest of the 48% of the population are either functionally illiterate or marginally illiterate. This is concerning for nurses who are responsible for patient education. Though there are risk factors associated with illiteracy such as immigrants, racial minorities, high school dropouts, and older adults, it is important for nurses not to assume someone is illiterate or literate based on the presence or absence risk factors. Nurses need to assess each client, examining for cues and red flags, to help determine a client’s literacy level. A client that is illiterate may get falsely labeled as non-compliant, so it is important to get a thorough assessment of each client. The Joint Commission for Accreditation (JCAHO) has put forth standards that all client’s be screened for their readiness to learn and to identify any barriers to learning. The federally mandated Patient’s Bill of Rights dictates that all clients be given information on their diagnoses, treatment, and their …show more content…
Each of these have advantages and disadvantages to them. Choosing the right type depends on the nurse’s evaluation of the client’s needs. Written is one of the most common forms of instruction, but audiovisual material is the tool that is growing at the fastest rate. It is also important to consider that the average retention rate is different for each method of learning. For instance speaking and doing has the highest retention rate at 90%, seeing and hearing is in the middle at 50% retention rate, and the least is reading at a 10% of retention rate (Bastable,
In this country, 52% of the population are literate. The rest of the 48% of the population are either functionally illiterate or marginally illiterate. This is concerning for nurses who are responsible for patient education. Though there are risk factors associated with illiteracy such as immigrants, racial minorities, high school dropouts, and older adults, it is important for nurses not to assume someone is illiterate or literate based on the presence or absence risk factors. Nurses need to assess each client, examining for cues and red flags, to help determine a client’s literacy level. A client that is illiterate may get falsely labeled as non-compliant, so it is important to get a thorough assessment of each client. The Joint Commission for Accreditation (JCAHO) has put forth standards that all client’s be screened for their readiness to learn and to identify any barriers to learning. The federally mandated Patient’s Bill of Rights dictates that all clients be given information on their diagnoses, treatment, and their …show more content…
Each of these have advantages and disadvantages to them. Choosing the right type depends on the nurse’s evaluation of the client’s needs. Written is one of the most common forms of instruction, but audiovisual material is the tool that is growing at the fastest rate. It is also important to consider that the average retention rate is different for each method of learning. For instance speaking and doing has the highest retention rate at 90%, seeing and hearing is in the middle at 50% retention rate, and the least is reading at a 10% of retention rate (Bastable,