Health literacy refers to the minimum health education standards for all individuals who have attained a grade school level. Nurses are faced with a task of providing health literacy to their patients and other patients in general. However, certain factors limit these professionals as they try to reach these objectives. In the past patients have had a history of making regular visits to their healthcare providers to obtain plausible information pertaining health issues. Nurses would make visits in the communities where members were facing difficulties in accessing this vital information so as to educate them (Huff, 2011).
Despite being confronted with the challenge of gaining the trust of these patients, nurses have done a tremendous job in ensuring an increase in the levels of health literacy among these patients. Creating a long-term relationship with their patients will enable them to provide consistent enlightenment since these patients find it hard to disclose their personal information to different nurses on different occasions. Nevertheless, this has been overtaken by the emergence of modern technology whereby individuals can access this information on the internet or those programmed on televisions and radio stations (Neter & Brainin, 2012). There has been an increase in the number of sources where patients can access this health related information such as blogs and websites. Patients can subscribe to these platforms and receive daily updates on emerging trends in health matters. In instances where the patients have poor skills in computer operating and internet accessing, nurses need to print brochures and booklets containing health information which they carry to their homes (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015).
Nurses and other healthcare providers are faced with the task of educating the public that not all published articles can be credible and reliable to help them elevate their level health literacy. They ought to help the individuals in distinguishing between information published as scholarly or periodical purposes. It is evident that with the levels of technology in the contemporary settings individuals are constantly creating blogs and websites in which they post their views on certain issues health being a part of it (Huff, 2011). Since the internet has become a profitable sanctuary where individuals take advantage and exploit the patient’s lack of health knowledge to gain financially and provide them with information that lacks scientific evidence.Professional nurses need to come with strategies on how to use the same platforms to provide the patients with more reliable guidelines on certain ailments and the measures to be taken in treatment (Neter & Brainin, 2012).
Self-symptom checkers usually fall short when it comes to diagnosing themselves of certain health issues. Patients need to be educated on the matter of self-diagnosing since some adverse outcomes may be as a result. There have been several documented cases where patients have prescribed themselves to dosages and in return suffering severe consequences. As a nurse, several ways could be employed in improving health literacy among patients (Huff, 2011). Providing objective information by distributing printed flyers and brochures regularly to patients who make visits to the healthcare centers. There should be seminars and door to door visits whereby individuals can be educated on health matters (Zulman, Kirch, Zheng, & An, 2011). Health care providers should come up with more strategies on how to pass on vital information to their patients. Availability of platforms such as social media, blogs, and websites where a majority of patients can easily access healthcare information makes it more achievable to increase the levels of health literacy among the society (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015).
References
Huff, C. (2011). Does your patient really understand? H&HN, 85(10), 34. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Neter, E., & Brainin, E. (2012). eHealth literacy: extending the digital divide to the realm of health information. Journal of medical Internet research, 14(1), e19.
Zulman, D. M., Kirch, M., Zheng, K., & An, L. C. (2011). Trust in the internet as a health resource among older adults: analysis of data from a nationally representative survey. Journal of medical Internet research, 13(1), e19.
