Increasing the health literacy of learning disability and mental health nurses in physical care skills: A pre and post-test evaluation of a workshop on diabetes care

Abstract

This paper presents the pre-and post-test results of the outcomes of a workshop designed to increase learning disability and mental health nurses' knowledge and skill to undertake interventions for service users at risk of, or with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Health literacy is also discussed as a way of explaining why such nurses may lack expertise in physical health care. Findings from the workshop show that learning disability and mental health nurses have the motivation to increase their health literacy (skills and knowledge) in diabetes care. The potential of such workshops, and how organisations looking forward to the future can build health literacy, is discussed.

Developing nursing students’ understanding through formative peer learning seminars

“…In responding to service-users' wishes for support that promotes physical as well as mental health and well-being, provided using a collaborative, holistic, person-centred approach (Public Health England 2016), mental health nurses will require improved 'health literacy' or the ability to find and understand information that promotes health (Hemingway et al 2015). Mental health nurses are committed to improving their practice in this area (Mwebe 2017) but need to build their confidence in responding to physical health problems (Chadwick and Withnell 2016) and in sharing their own expertise (Foulkes 2015), so that service-users can benefit from a more integrated, responsive approach regardless of the context of care.…”

“…Workshops have proved useful in improving mental health nurses' abilities to identify risk of diabetes and support people with diabetes (Hemingway et al 2015) and a range of other health problems (White et al 2014). It would not be possible for each nurse to be an expert in the whole range of potential co-morbidities that our service users may experience, but it is important that nurses prepare for life-long learning and know how to find, evaluate and communicate the evidencebase that supports clinical decision-making (Laaksonen et al 2013).…”

An Assessment of the Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Understanding of Health Literacy Concepts When Providing Health Promotion for the Diabetic Patient

“…As future nurses who will have a significant impact on client health literacy assessment, it is essential that health literacy-related content be integrated into undergraduate nursing educational curricula (Sand-Jecklin, Murray, Summers, Watson, 2010;McCleary-Jones, 2012). The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has significantly increased resulting in greater morbidity and mortality risks to the general public; therefore, programs for diabetes prevention, education, and health literacy assessments have become a national priority (Whittemore, Rosenberg, Gilmore, Withey, and Breault, 2013;Hemingway, Stephenson, Trotter, Clifton, and Holdich, 2015). The goal of this project is for Associate Degree nursing (ADN) students to learn to appropriately assess patient HL levels and promote healthy choices and behaviors for T2D patients.…”

“…With the extensive rise in TD2 prevalence, a national priority for diabetes prevention, education, and HL assessments have ensued (Whittemore et al, 2013;Hemingway, Stephenson et al, 2015). Though significant literature gaps concerning HL and T2D exist, some current research suggests that when nurses focus on HL assessments, T2D patient outcomes may be positively affected.…”

“…The literature suggests that a higher incidence of T2D exists in people with learning disabilities as well as seriously mentally ill people (Hemingway et al, 2015); therefore, Hemingway et al (2015) undertook to study the pre-and posttest results of the outcomes of a workshop set up to enhance learning disability and mental health nurses' diabetic health literacy to empower these specialized nurses to more accurately convey appropriate diabetic information to service users who are at risk of, or with a diagnosis of T2D. Through a non-random (convenience) sample, which was made up of both staff and student nurses who were invited to a This literature review of HL and T2D leads to many salient points:…”