AORN Journal
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 23-29, July 2008

Using Principles of Health Literacy to Enhance the Informed Consent Process

  • Bonne Lorenzen, RN, MSN

      Affiliations

    • Bonne Lorenzen, RN, MSN, is a staff development coordinator at Trinity Regional Health System, Rock Island, IL.
    • ,
  • Constance E. Melby, RN, MS, CNOR

      Affiliations

    • Constance E. Melby, RN, MS, CNOR, is an OR clinical educator at Trinity Regional Health System, Rock Island, IL.
    • ,
  • Barb Earles, RN, MHA, CPHRM

      Affiliations

    • Barb Earles, RN, MHA, CPHRM, is the director of risk management at Iowa Health System, Des Moines, IA.

ABSTRACT 

THE LANGUAGE COMMONLY used in procedural/surgical consent forms often exceeds the average reading level of US patients, and many do not read the document before signing it.

INCORPORATING READER-FRIENDLY language and formatting makes it more likely that patients will read the document, understand it, and therefore give informed consent. Adding “teach back” into the document provides a means of evaluating patient understanding.

USING READER-FRIENDLY procedural/surgical consent documents merges the objectives of both health literacy and informed consent. AORN J 88 (July 2008) 23–29. © AORN, Inc, 2008.

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 Editor's note: The Universal Protocol is a registered trademark of the Joint Commission, Oakbrook Terrace, IL.For more information on health literacy, visit the National Network of Libraries of Medicine web site at http://nnlm.gov/outreach/consumer/hlthlit.html.

PII: S0001-2092(08)00186-5

doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2008.03.001

AORN Journal
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 23-29, July 2008

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