Elaine Wittenberg|Joy Goldsmith|Betty Ferrell|Christine Small Platt
Enhancing Communication Related to Symptom Management Through Plain Language
City Of Hope National Medical Center|University of Memphis|City Of Hope National Medical Center|University of Memphis
symptom management key dimension palliative care addition aspects assessment pharmacological management symptoms professionals also require communication skills effectively manage symptoms serious illnessapplication plain language planner palliative care provider tool communicating medication symptoms using plain language testedapproximately 75 155 health care professionals mostly nurses participated beforeandafter educational activity tool provided written communication explanations using one three medicationsymptom pairs senna constipation amitriptyline nerve pain lorazepam anxiety responses coded plain language characteristics active voice second person use jargon brief sentences reading level easy understand data phrasing frequency counts coding categories calculated compared across medicationsymptom pairs education sessiona comparison written responses education session showed improvement use plain language overall plain language scores highest communication senna 81 followed amitriptyline 72 lorazepam 77 across three medicationsymptom pairs greatest improvement use plain language occurred use jargonprovider training tool produced increased plain language use tool provider education shows promise increasing health literacy patients families regarding symptom management