Health Education and Communication
Health literacy
Understand that health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand health information to make decisions. It is not the same as intelligence or education. Use plain language, teach-back, and chunk-and-check to confirm understanding. A classic trap is asking "Do you understand?" - a yes/no question that does not verify comprehension. Teach-back asks the client to explain or demonstrate in their own words.
Communication skills
Know active listening (reflecting, summarizing, clarifying), open-ended questions, and nonverbal communication. Be aware of interpreter use - speak to the client, not the interpreter, and avoid family members for sensitive topics. Recognize that cultural context shapes how information is received.
Education principles
Adult learning favors relevance, practical application, and respect for prior experience. Use teach-back, demonstration, and written materials at an appropriate reading level. Avoid jargon and overwhelming detail. Confirm understanding with a return demonstration for skills like using a glucometer or inhaler.
Worked rule of thumb
After explaining a medication schedule, the best practice is: "To make sure I explained clearly, can you tell me how you'll take this at home?" This is teach-back - it puts the responsibility for clarity on the educator, not the client.
Traps to watch
Equating teach-back with repeating instructions; using fear-based messaging; assuming literacy from appearance or language fluency.