Assessing the health literacy levels of patients using selected hospital services.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the health literacy abilities of patients in an urban and suburban hospital. BACKGROUND: Inadequate health literacy is a widespread problem that is associated with insufficient self-care knowledge and behavior, inappropriate use of emergency services, higher rates of hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs. Knowledge of patients' reading ability is necessary to ensure that appropriately leveled printed health education materials are available. METHODS: The health literacy of a convenience sample of 21 inpatients and 34 outpatients from an urban and suburban hospital was measured using the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Variables for analysis included demographic characteristics, perceived health status, highest grade of school completed, socioeconomic status, healthcare costs, and number of inpatient and outpatient admissions over the previous year. RESULTS: Based on the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, 33% of patients had health literacy levels that were eighth grade or below, whereas according to the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, 23% had marginal or inadequate functional health literacy. Literacy was significantly related to socioeconomic status (P < .001) and education (P < .001), although 30% of participants had a reading level below the highest grade completed. No other significant correlations were found. IMPLICATIONS: Clinical nurse specialists should ensure that health information materials are written at appropriate levels and educate nurses and other healthcare professionals to use effective communication and teaching strategies.

Directory of clinical nurse specialist programs in the United States, 2005.

Interest in clinical nurse specialist (CNS) programs continues to increase as market demands for CNSs have risen. Schools of nursing are responding to this demand by expanding existing programs and opening new programs. In 2003, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) published a Directory of Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs. Since that publication, NACNS has continued to update this directory as they receive written notification of new programs or changes in program offerings. This year, the Education Committee of NACNS updated the existing Directory information using data from the 2004 American Association of Colleges of Nursing and NACNS survey of clinical nurse specialist master's level programs. This article provides a current list of CNS programs in the United States.

A description of clinical nurse specialist programs in the United States.

Changes have occurred in clinical nurse specialist educational requirements in recent years, and it is not known how programs have responded. The purpose of this descriptive survey was to identify the number of clinical nurse specialist programs in the United States, describe curricula, and examine enrollment and employment trends. This report contains data from 157 separate clinical nurse specialist programs/majors representing 139 different schools. The mean number of credit hours for semester- and quarter-based programs was 41.4 and 52.2, respectively. The mean number of clinical/practical clock hours was 416.2. Approximately half of the respondents (56%) used the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists to guide curricula. Nearly 66% of the programs had from 1 to 10 applicants during the previous year. The majority (68%) indicated that their graduates do not have difficulty finding employment after graduating. These findings indicate that efforts to revise curricula and clarify the CNS role must continue.