Cardiovascular Patient Education Resource Manual. - book review

AORN Journal,  March, 2002  by Sheila A. McFarland

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CARDIOVASCULAR PATIENT EDUCATION RESOURCE MANUAL, second ed Edited by Terri Ann Gershendon 2001 $199 looseleaf binder

This manual is a well written, clear, precise reference book not only for teaching patients and their family members but also for health care providers to use as a guide in the hospital setting. This text will be useful for educating patients of all literacy levels, and it coordinates all disciplines involved in patient education. After assessing patients and their family members for literacy skills, the educator can use the illustrated handouts written at either the third or sixth grade level for teaching. Handouts are printed in both Spanish and English. In addition, a CD-ROM included in the manual contains low literacy level forms. Users can personalize material printed from the CD-ROM with their facility's logo.

Educational materials usually are written at a sixth grade reading level or higher, which may minimize patients' learning outcomes because they may be unable to comprehend the written material. This manual will assist health care providers in presenting material to patients and their family members at their personal learning level. Not only will learners better comprehend the information, but they also will retain the material related to the cardiovascular system and their personal health. As a result, providers will see better long-range outcomes with patients not only following instructions but also living much healthier lives without readmission to the hospital. Many readmissions have been a result of patients' inability to read and understand written material given to them before discharge.

This well-organized manual starts with simple, large-print text and illustrations and works from general to specific material. The pages can be copied easily to meet each individual's needs, including tracking of teaching. In tracking teaching, health care providers should document the materials used to teach patients and patients' understanding of these materials. A well-organized teaching plan can be developed using this book, resulting in better patient outcomes by providing patients the necessary materials to enhance learning.

There is a section devoted to informative ways to assess patients' literacy level and their educational needs. Other sections include instructions for teaching several cardiovascular-related subjects. Some of the major topics include an overview of the heart, hypertension, cholesterol, smoking, exercise, congestive heart failure, medications, and invasive and noninvasive procedures. All of these include instructions written at both third and sixth grade reading levels, printed in both English and Spanish.

This manual will be beneficial for the low literacy population as well as health care providers presenting the material. There are articles throughout the manual to enhance educators' knowledge about each subject taught. I have recommended this text to the patient education department at the hospital where I currently am employed.

This book is available from Aspen Publishers, 200 Orchard Ridge Dr, Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20878; http://www.aspenpublishers.com.

SHEILA A. MCFARLAND
RN
RN FIRST ASSISTANT, CARDIOVASCULAR OR
FIRELANDS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
SANDUSKY, OHIO

COPYRIGHT 2002 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group