Health Literacy And Its Effect On Patient Safety Essay

Introduction Health literacy is the ability to read, comprehend, and utilize healthcare information in order to make health related decisions based on the individual s interpretation of this information (Eadie, 2014). This includes the individual s ability to perform Internet searches, reading health prevention pamphlets, measuring medication doses, and understanding and complying with verbal or written health care instructions (Eadie, 2014, p. 10). These barriers significantly affect patient safety and require intervention from health care professionals. As we have learned in our previous theory courses, many individuals experience some form of limited health literacy; however, the Institute of Medicine reports that 90 million American adults lack basic health literacy (as cited in Eadie, 2014, p.10). Health literacy is important in patient management of health and disease because it can help avoid medical mistakes. Patients who do not comprehend complex nursing instructions cannot successfully adhere to the desired treatment regimen (The Joint Commission, 2007). This can lead to negative health outcomes, although it is not the fault of the patient, but the provider for not assessing what the client understands and where additional clarification is needed. After all, the health care system is meant to serve all individuals in need of assistance, yet patients and their families are challenged with navigating this convoluted system. Therefore, promoting healthShow MoreRelatedSocial Responsibility And Health Care1371 Words   |  6 Pagesprotection and promotion of health, the alleviation of suffering and the prevention and treatment of illness and injury (AHPRA, 2015). Workplace citizenship and its three core elements of team work, social responsibility and communication are essent ial in the nursing profession to develop skills and give the best nursing care that is possible, because of how these elements work individually as well as together. This essay will explore the negative and positive effects of each core element and howRead MoreRvc Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pagesprovides full-range of high quality, cost-effective health care to Miami County. With in-patient, the UVMC health system encompasses several nursing homes and outpatient facilities (UVMC, 2017). UVMC staff will teach patients about their illness, diet, exercises and side effects of the medication. The research states that 66% of patients surveyed did not know their medication during the duration of their treatment. Only 35% of patients knew the side effects of their medications (Siegel, 2012). UVMC’s goalRead MoreThe Influence Of Patient Health Literacy On Positive Health Outcomes1274 Words   |  6 PagesInfluence of Patient Health Literacy on Positive Health Outcomes Introduction With an increase in the number of new prescriptions hitting the market and the growing number of patients taking prescription medications, patient health literacy becomes a rising problem. Approximately ninety percent of Americans currently take prescription or over-the-counter medications; however, patients that have an inadequate health literacy level are more likely misinterpret or suffer adverse drug effects due to aRead MoreHealth Literacy Is Defined As The â€Å"The Capacity To Obtain,1229 Words   |  5 PagesHealth literacy is defined as the â€Å"the capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions† (Koh et al., 2012, p. 1). When a patient has poor health literacy, they are more likely to have a poor outcome in regards to their health. There are bills and initiatives that address the need for patients to increase their health literacy as well as the healthcare providers’ respo nsibilities to provide the information in a wayRead MoreHealth Literacy And Patient Safety836 Words   |  4 Pages Health Literacy and Patient Safety What if every other person that received help from a healthcare provider left the health facility and did not comply with anything the provider told them? The patient did not take the medication as directed, if at all, did not follow-up in 2 weeks to ensure adequate treatment and never improved, or did not care for their surgical wound, leading them to being hospitalized for sepsis. What is the point in going to seek help, if the patient is not going to do whatRead MoreEmotional Changes In Older Adults1117 Words   |  5 Pagesgenerations are often health literacy which needs to be addressed by healthcare providers to ensure everyone can comprehend the medications they are taking. Medication errors are an extremely important issue in our healthcare system, if medication-related problems were ranked as a disease by cause of death, it would be the fifth cause of death in the United States. Many of these deaths are from the older adult population. (Lindenberg, 2010). Health Literacy Health literacy is defined as â€Å"the capacityRead MoreHealth Literacy And Effective Communication1229 Words   |  5 Pagesgroups than non-indigenous population, low level of health literacy has been considered as negative factor that impacting on the delivery of effective care and health professionals’ performances on medical treatment. With integrated health literacy program, culturally competent and appropriate communication at individual, systemic and organisational level would enhance health outcomes for consumer’s welfare. Most importantly, improved health literacy and effective communication skills would plays anRead MoreThe Problem Of Adverse Drug Events In Health1337 Words   |  6 Pagesby a patient as a result of exposure to a medication, and ADEs account for nearly 700,000 emergency department visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year (Medication Errors 2017). According to the World Health Organization, Medication errors cause at least one death ev ery day and injure approximately 1.3 million people annually in the United States alone. Globally, the cost associated with medication errors has been estimated at US$ 42 billion annually or almost 1% of total global health expenditureRead MoreBreast Cancer : A Major Health Issue For Men Essay1028 Words   |  5 PagesProstate cancer is a major health issue for men in New Zealand. This essay will discuss a health initiative that aims to improve health outcomes for men and the role of the nurse in the health initiative. Culture of nursing, and its impact on prostate cancer in men will also be described (McMurray Clendon, 2012). Task A) The Ministry of Health (2013) launched a four year programme to improve health outcomes for men with prostate cancer called The Prostate Cancer Awareness and Quality ImprovementRead MoreEvidence Based Practice Essay905 Words   |  4 Pagesfor a better understanding of how it effects the individuals diagnosed with it. There is a higher incident of females diagnosed with RA than male as well as a relationship with genetic and environmental factors involved. Around one percent of the world population is affected by RA; therefore, diverse studies have been performed to understand how the lives of the diagnosed patients can be impacted by the disease. For example, how RA affects the mobility, safety and activities of daily living in general