Chapter 14: Health Literacy and Patient Education

Chapter 14: Health Literacy and Patient Education

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The unique ability of the patient to understand and integrate health-related knowledge is known as:

ANS:  A

The unique ability of a patient to understand and integrate health-related knowledge is known as health literacy. Formal patient education is delivered throughout the community in the form of media, in a variety of educational and group settings, or in a planned, goal-directed, one-on-one session with a patient in the acute care setting. Informal education is usually learner or patient directed. Many health care consumers begin receiving information as children through their primary education. Handwashing, proper dental care, and nutrition are examples of early instructions.

DIF:    Remembering                                 REF:   p. 192 | p. 194

OBJ:   14.1               TOP:   Assessment

MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance

NOT:  Concepts: Patient Education

2. The patient is reportedly well educated and employed as an engineer, but is struggling to comprehend terms found in health-related literature given to explain his disease process. This is evidence of:

ANS:  D

Although low literacy and low health literacy are related terms, they are not interchangeable. Low health literacy is content specific, meaning that the individual may not have difficulty reading and writing outside the health care arena. These patients may struggle to comprehend the complicated, unfamiliar terms and ideas found in health-related materials or instructions. The psychomotor domain incorporates physical movement and the use of motor skills in learning. Teaching the newly diagnosed diabetic how to check blood sugar is an example of a psychomotor skill. Affective domain learning recognizes the emotional component of integrating new knowledge. Successful education in this domain takes into account the patient’s feelings, values, motivations, and attitudes.

DIF:    Remembering                                 REF:   p. 193 | p. 195

OBJ:   14.1               TOP:   Assessment

MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance

NOT:  Concepts: Patient Education

3. To teach effectively, nurses must recognize that:

ANS:  B

To teach effectively, nurses must recognize that patients of all ages come from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Each has a different ability to comprehend health care information. Results of the NAAL research indicate that among American adults, 30 million (14%) had below basic health literacy in English and 47 million (22%) had basic health literacy. This means that 77 million (36%) American adults possessed very rudimentary literacy skills that allowed them to read only short, simple printed and written materials. Although discussion of Nightingale’s work often focuses on her efforts to distinguish nursing as a profession and address the impact of sanitation on health, she advocated exploring all aspects of the patient. She thought that patients needed care that is “delicate and decent” and that demonstrates “the power of giving real interests to the patient.” Exploring patients’ interests and abilities was an early acknowledgment that nurses must be aware of patients’ ability to comprehend the health care information provided. Often, health care professionals assume that the explanations and instructions given to patients and families are readily understood. In reality, research has shown that these instructions are frequently misunderstood, sometimes resulting in serious errors.

DIF:    Understanding                                 REF:   pp. 192-193    OBJ:   14.1

TOP:   Assessment    MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance

NOT:  Concepts: Patient Education

4. As the health care community explores the concept of health literacy, many organizations recognize that:

ANS:  B

As the health care community explores the concept of health literacy, many organizations recognize that before improvements can be made, operational definitions are imperative. The realization that consumers need to be able to understand the medical information delivered by health care providers has gained recognition at many governmental levels. The Healthy People 2020 publication describes a national movement that addresses the priorities of prevention and public health in the United States. Health literacy with its impact on this initiative is being recognized and has become a key component of the project. Although low literacy and low health literacy are related terms, they are not interchangeable. Low health literacy is content-specific, meaning that the individual may not have difficulty reading and writing outside the health care arena. Interest in effective patient education is not a phenomenon unique to the United States. The Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Health Literacy held a workshop in 2012 focused on international health literacy.

DIF:    Understanding                                 REF:   pp. 192-193    OBJ:   14.2

TOP:   Assessment    MSC:  NCLEX Client Needs Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance

NOT:  Concepts: Patient Education