Hospitalization can be very stressful.  A little bit of stress can increase alertness, but too much interferes with learning.  A patient in a stressed emotional state can have difficulty paying attention, understanding, and remembering new information.  On top of that, pain and some medications can also interfere with cognitive functioning.

Patients who are sick enough to be hospitalized are bombarded with paperwork to sign.  They are given copies of legal documents, information about rights and responsibilities, handouts on services available to them in the hospital, and home care instructions.  It can be quite overwhelming under normal circumstances.

So here you are, preparing for discharge, responsible for teaching your patient about new meds and new self-care skills.  You can see the patient is in a stressed state that makes retaining new information difficult, but discharge is looming and you don’t have a choice.  You have to begin teaching.  What to do?

The secret weapon in your pocket

Fortunately, the solution is inexpensive, readily available, and very low tech.  Pull out that yellow highlighter!

Whether you are handing the patient, the official discharge instruction form or information about a new medication, some of the content is legally necessary to share, a lot is “nice to know,” and some is “need to know.”  Your patient could use some help sorting through the mass of data.

So, direct the patient to the most important information.  As you discuss the key points your patient must know to stay safe, highlight the content.  Yellow is best, because it calls attention to itself without blotting out the information underneath. 

·         Highlight the name of the med(s), the dose, and when to take it. 

·         Highlight all follow-up appointments.

·         Highlight the key problems to look for that need immediate attention. 

·         Highlight the telephone number to call if there is a problem or concern. 

Highlighting will help the patient pay attention during teaching.  It will also help the patient quickly find essential information days later, when at home and possibly confused.  It helps individualize the information to the specific needs of the patient, and helps him or her feel treated like a person, not just a patient.

Useful in any setting

Teaching with a highlighter can also be useful beyond inpatient hospitalization.  In emergency departments and urgent care centers where there is little time to waste, highlighting essential information enhances clear communication.  Even in clinic and outpatient office visits, highlighters offer that personal touch that helps patients feel cared for.

So put that yellow highlighter in your pocket and use it every day!

About the Author: Fran London, MS, RN, is the Health Education Specialist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.  Fran believes the most important service nurses provide, after saving lives, is patient and family education.  Fran’s website, www.notimetoteach.com, offers updates on the latest research, and a place to discuss challenges in patient education and how to address them in the most effective and efficient ways.   

Click here for more information on Fran London.

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