[NIFL-HEALTH:2237] Re: Workshops on why literacy counts

From: Beth Poore-Bowman (sahec@longwood.lwc.edu)
Date: Mon Feb 28 2000 - 11:46:16 EST


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From: Beth Poore-Bowman <sahec@longwood.lwc.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:2237] Re: Workshops on why literacy counts
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Beth:  Could you tell us more about the workshops you conduct.  Thanks, Debbie
>
Sure.  I do two kinds of workshops.  The first is about 45 minutes in
length and designed to present the concept of health literacy and how to
change
communication strategies to help those with fewer literacy skill.  This
workshop is aimed at the bedside nurse who does patient teaching in
hospitals.  I include basic literacy definitions, national and local
statistics, assessment tips, clear verbal communication and plain language
tips.  If this sounds like a lot for 45 minutes, you're absolutly right but
the main objective is raise consciousness of this issue.  Approximately
65-80% of the adult population in our are is at NALS level 1 or 2 so it is
a huge problem that has gone largely unaddressed.

I follow this up with a 4 hour workshop (with continuing education credit)
aimed at patient education committee members.  We look at the information
above in more depth.  I usually show the video "Face to Face" with
suggestions for use as part of nursing orientation, etc.  We discuss case
studies in clear verbal  communications.  The second half involves looking
at in-house produced written materials.  We evaluate them according to
plain language principles and take a stab at rewriting them.  This has been
very well recieved.

We developed this program as part of a health literacy grant .  It was so
well recieved that we decided to offer it to all of the hospitals in our
area.  As has been pointed out in many previous discussions, literacy is a
two part problem.  This is our attempt to influence the medical/nursing
community.


Beth Poore-Bowman, RN, FNP
Nurse Practioner, Longwood Student Health Services
   Phone: (804) 395-2102
   Email: BBowman@Longwood.lwc.edu
Health Educator, Southside Area Health Education Center (SAHEC)
   Phone: (804) 395-2863
   Fax: (804) 395-2864
   Email:  SAHEC@Longwood.lwc.edu
Longwood College
201 High St.
Farmville, VA 23909



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