NURS 610 Assignment 8.1 Minimizing Barriers for Low-Literacy Patients

• NURS 610 Assignment 8.1 Minimizing Barriers for Low-Literacy Patients: Summary

Name: ____________

Analysis of Risk Factors

1. List three risk factors Doris has for liver disease.
   Intense alcohol use (two or three drinks of wine several times a week) 2. History IV drug use (in her 20s) 3. Results of physical examination that could be related to liver disease (spider angiomas, jaundice and a large liver)
2. How is her drinking affecting her liver?
   The direct liver damage due to drinking is likely in Doris in her laboratory findings and symptoms. AST and ALT are high, indicating that there is destruction and death of liver cells. Moreover, other physical symptoms, such as jaundice (the color of skin is yellow), spider angioma, and an enlarged liver, are also characteristic of alcohol-related liver disease. She also complains about fatigue and loss of appetite, which are common symptoms as the liver begins to fail.
3. Would you be concerned with Tylenol use? Explain your answer.
   Yes, you ought to be worried. The heavy drinking puts Doris at a higher risk to her liver. Alcohol depletes glutathione, one of the elements needed by the liver to be safe in dealing with Tylenol. This puts her at great risk of liver damage caused by Tylenol, even at normal doses.
4. What activity increased her chance of having hepatitis C?
   Her IV drug history at age 20s greatly exposed her to the risk of Hepatitis C. This is one of the main ways of virus transmission.

Health Literacy Overview

1. What are three ways you can assess Doris for health literacy?
   A Teach-Back Method: Have her describe her conditions or medications in her own words to determine whether she can remember and comprehend the instructions. Ask a Screening Question: Ask a simple, non-judgmental question such as, How sure are you about filling out medical forms without assistance? Observe Clues: See whether she carries with her completed forms, whether she poses clarifying questions, or accurately recognizes her medications and their functions.
2. What is one technique you can use to educate Doris?
   One of the effective methods is the so-called Teach-Back. When you had told Doris anything, you would ask her to tell you again in her language. This would assist in confirming her prior to her departure, as well as an opportunity with yourself to clear up any misunderstandings immediately.
3. List one resource you can use to enhance health literacy with
   The former is to provide her with easily readable educational materials, including those of a reputable avenue, like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Heart Association. These materials are composed in an easy to understand language, and straightforward images and layouts are used to make them easier to understand.

Health Literacy Application

1. Given Doris’s physical exam and laboratory findings, you suspect end-stage liver disease. Explain in simple terms to Doris what is happening to her liver and the need for further testing. Write a short dialogue between you and Doris.
   You: “Doris, on the basis of our conversation and the test today, I have some questions about your liver. The tests indicate that it is not functioning properly. Doris: “Struggling? What do you mean?” You: “Imagine your liver as a kind of filter in your body. Gradually, due to causes such as alcohol, that filter may end up being scarred and damaged. The puffy legs, the fatigue and the yellowish color of your skin are all indicators that your liver is not purifying your blood as it should. Doris: “Oh, my. Is it serious?” You: “It is serious, which is why we need to understand exactly what’s going on.To do
2. Using the Word calculator, check your dialogue for the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, which should be no more than a 6th-grade reading. Rewrite your submission until you receive a 6th-grade-level score. Include both your original and your rewritten answers.
   You: “After our conversation and your examination, I am concerned about your liver, Doris. Your test results indicate that it is not functioning well. Doris: What ails you? What’s that? You: “Imagine your liver is the cleaning crew in your body. With time, using alcohol can damage it. It gets scarred and is not able to clean your blood. Your swollen legs, sore, and yellow skin are all clues that your liver is not performing its job. Doris: “Oh, my. Is this bad?” You: It is a big deal. That is why we have to investigate more. Why do we have to do some more tests? These tests will tell us how badly your liver is injured. This is the way we can plan how you will feel better. Is that alright with you?
3. What did you learn from reviewing the text difficulty?
   I learnt that by simplifying language, there is a tremendous decrease in the reading level. Critical health information may be made available to a much broader audience by using less lengthy sentences, using simpler words in place of difficult ones (as in the case of using the term cleanup crew as an alternative to filter), and simply formulating the phrasing to be more forthright.

Check for Understanding

1. How will you know whether Doris understands what you tell her?
   I will use the methodology of the “Teach-Back” technique. I will later on ask Doris to paraphrase the information on my behalf. Provided she is able to properly find the main points, i.e., why her liver is not functioning well and why she has to take extra tests, I will know that she will be able to understand. Should she be incapable, I will know I will need to relate it in yet another way.
2. What is a negative consequence for Doris if she does not understand?
   This may cause her state to deteriorate at a very high rate, causing severe complications such as internal bleeding, severe confusion, or liver failure.
3. What is a positive outcome if you increase her health literacy?
   It has a good outcome since Doris will be able to make informed choices about alcohol and follow-up tests. Such involvement in her treatment, being so intensive, can help to delay the development of the disease and manage her symptoms, as well as significantly improve the quality of her life.

References

Reference 1 :

Gullet, A., & Tastan, S. (2025). The effect of discharge training based on the teach-back method on discharge readiness and satisfaction: A randomized controlled trial. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 22(4), e70062. https://doi.org/1 0.1 1 1 1 /wvn.70062

Reference 2:

The effect of nurse health literacy interventions on patient health literacy scores in specialty consultations: A quasi-experimental study. BMC Nursing, 23(1 ), 786. https://doi.org/1 0.1 1 86/s1 291 2-024-02447-1

Reference 3:

Romanova, A., Rubinelli, S., & Diviani, N. (2024). Improving health and scientific literacy in disadvantaged groups: A scoping review of interventions. Patient Education and Counseling, 1 22, 1 081 68. https://doi.org/1 0.1 01 6/j.pec.2024.1 081 68