Practical Skills for Nursing Students
- Grace. T
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
Health Literacy Month: Practical Skills for Nursing Students (Teach-Back, Plain Language, and Library Tools)
Why Health Literacy Matters
Health literacy directly affects medication safety, discharge adherence, and readmission rates. As a nursing student, your word choice, pacing, and visuals can be the difference between understanding and confusion. Think of health literacy as a clinical skill—assess, intervene, and reassess.
Core Skills You Can Use Today
1) The Teach-Back Method
Ask patients to explain back the plan in their own words: “Just to be sure I explained it clearly, how will you take this medication at home?”
Focus on your clarity, not the patient’s ability. If teach-back fails, you re-teach and simplify.
2) Plain-Language Conversions
Swap jargon for everyday words:
“Hypertension” → “high blood pressure”
“Bid” → “twice a day”
“PRN” → “as needed”
"# (R) radius" → "fractured right wrist" we are not hash tagging the wrist, its the short form for a fracture in medical terminology.
Use short sentences, active voice, and one idea per line.
3) Chunk & Check
Split instructions into 3–5 small steps, then check understanding after each chunk.
4) Visual Aids That Work
One-page checklists, large labels, pill-timing grids, and simple diagrams (arrows, circles, clocks).
For discharge, a single summary page with: What to do, When to do it, Red-flag symptoms, Who to call.
5) Cultural & Language Access
Offer professional interpreters, not family members, for accuracy and privacy.
Confirm preferred language and reading level; avoid idioms and regional slang.
6) Risk Communication in Plain Numbers
Prefer absolute risk (“2 out of 100 people…”) over vague terms (“rare”).
Use consistent denominators and round numbers when possible.
Home Treatment & Self-Care (Patient-Facing Handout Content)
Daily meds: Take with food at the same times each day.
Blood sugar checks: Follow the step sheet; write numbers in your log.
Red flags—call for help: Very sleepy, confused, shaky/sweaty that doesn’t improve after 15g of fast sugar, vomiting/diarrhea that stops you from keeping meds down, or blood sugar persistently above your target range.
15-15 rule for lows: If blood sugar is low, take 15g fast sugar (e.g., 3–4 glucose tablets or ¾ cup juice). Recheck in 15 minutes. Repeat if still low, then eat a snack with protein.
Bring your tools to appointments: Pill bottles, glucometer, and your log.
In The Classroom:
Quick Documentation Tips for Students
Chart the exact teach-back prompt and the patient’s words.
Record any visual aids given.
Note interpreter use and patient’s preferred language.
Document return demonstration and red-flag counselling.
Instructor Notes (for Simulation/Lab)
Evaluate students on:
Use of teach-back prompts
Plain-language conversions
Correct risk framing
Clear discharge summary with red flags + contacts
Include a timed station where the learner must build a one-page discharge sheet on the spot.
Case Scenario (with Rationales)
Scenario: Mr. L., 57, newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, is being discharged with metformin, a glucometer, and dietary guidance. English is his second language. He nods frequently but asks few questions.
Questions & Best Answers
What’s your first health-literacy action?
How do you explain metformin timing plainly?
What tool will help most with home use of the glucometer?
What’s the safety check before discharge?
ANSWERS AT BOTTOM OF POST - How did you do?
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RESOURCES:
Author - Saving Grace Medical Academy Ltd
Grace. T
Medical Content Writer
Case Scenario Answers:
Answer: Use teach-back after chunking the education (glucometer use, then metformin timing, then hypoglycemia red flags). Rationale: Teach-back is an evidence-based check of understanding and reduces readmissions. Chunking prevents cognitive overload.
Answer: “Take one pill with breakfast and one with supper every day. ”Rationale: Replaces jargon (“BID with meals”), uses routine anchors, and avoids medical shorthand.
Answer: A one-page step sheet with large print and pictures (wash hands → insert strip → lance → read number → record). Rationale: Visual sequencing and minimal text support low-to-moderate literacy and second-language learning.
Answer: Ask Mr. L. to show you a full glucose test using his device and teach back hypoglycemia red flags (“shaky, sweaty, confused”). Rationale: Return demonstration + teach-back verifies both motor and cognitive steps.
