Title : Addressing education and medication adherence for stroke survivors
Abstract:
At one of the largest hospitals in Arizona, who care for individuals suffering from neurological diseases and houses a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center, the Comprehensive Stroke Program Quality Team has been working in conjunction with an Arizona State University Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student. The Comprehensive Stroke Program Quality Team used retrospective data from January to May of 2021 and identified that only 34% of Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) survivors were filling their prescriptions within one week of being discharged home. An analysis using valid and reliable tools, the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and the Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level literacy tool, showed that the Stroke Education Booklet provided to all admitted stroke patients, per The Joint Commission (TJC) and QI, had poor health literacy scores and a high literacy grade level. A new Stroke Education Booklet was developed using current research, scores from tools, and feedback from nurses and providers. Modifications include simplifying content by reducing excess words, removing unnecessary sections, providing bullet points, and adding visuals. Additional interactive sections and tables were provided to personalize patient education and information. Before publishing, the new book was reevaluated with the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and the Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level literacy tool. Data will be collected by the project site's standard methods from November 2022 to January 2023. This project includes the of analysis of retrospective and prospective populations. Analytical tests that will be completed include a T-Test and Mann-Whitney U Test. The analysis will be completed to assess if the revised stroke education book, with a reduced literacy level and increased health literacy, helped to increase prescriptions filling for Ischemic Stroke and TIA survivors within one week of being discharged home.
Audience Take Away
- Identify ways to reduce the literacy level of patient education
- Contrast health literacy and literacy level evaluations for stroke education materials
- Differentiate this project, and the results, with current research
- Implement knowledge learned into current practice and patient education
- Formulate areas for further improvement of in-patient stroke education
