Communication Skills for Health Care Providers Lesson 3 of 8 Read Interpretive
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. Identify and comprehend recorded information, e.g., employee manuals,
patient procedure guides, job duty lists.
Introduction
Health Care Workers must have the ability to interpret reading material at the work site. In this lesson, we will review interpretive skills needed in the Health Care Industry. Particularly in this lesson, we will review interpretive reading skills. Prescription for Understanding – Job Related
To understand information in the reading material at the work site you must read the material and apply the information to your individual job duties.
1. You should check to see if the idea is fully explained. 2. Determine the meaning of instruction being given. 3. Look for specific details that are needed to fulfill requirements.
Example
The following “warning label” is an example of the many warning labels in a health care facility. Although you may not be responsible for administering resident medicines, you will come in contact with many other types of warning labels such as dealing with equipment usage, supplies, chemicals, and others. Reading Warning Labels
All over-the-counter drugs come with warnings on their labels. The warning label below is for the over-the-counter drug Benadryl. People with colds and allergies take this drug to feel better. Notice the warnings on the label.
Warnings: Do not take this product if you have asthma, glaucoma, emphysema, chronic pulmonary disease, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing or difficulty in urination due to enlargement of the prostate gland unless directed by a physician. May cause excitability especially in children. May cause marked drowsiness; alcohol, sedatives, and tranquilizers may increase the drowsiness effect. Avoid driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery or drinking alcoholic beverages. Do not take this product if you are taking sedatives or tranquilizers without first consulting your doctor. Do not use any other products containing diphenhydramine while using this product. As with any drug, if you are pregnant or nursing a baby, seek the advice of a health professional before using this product. KEEP THIS AND ALL DRUGS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. In case of accidental overdose, seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.
Use the above information to answer the following question. Example Question: 1. People with allergies should always read the directions.
Correct Answer ⇒ a. True It is very important to know how medicines
Skill Check
Use the “Reading Warning Labels” information on the previous page as a guide to answer the following questions. 1. People who have asthma would need to:
a. Take Benadryl as directed on the bottle b. Take ½ the normal dosage c. Consult a physician before taking Benadryl d. All of the above
2. If you are taking Benadryl, you should not:
a. Use any other products containing diphenhydramine b. Drive a motor vehicle c. Drink alcoholic beverages d. All of the above
3. The proper action to take if an accidental overdose should occur is:
a. Drink plenty of fluids b. Stay active and avoid falling asleep c. Contact a Poison Control Center d. Attempt to sleep off the drug
Let’s Apply to Your Workplace Communications – Lesson 3 of 8
The following is an excerpt from the Resident Rights information handbook. Read the following then answer the questions that follow.
483.10 Resident Rights The resident has a right to a dignified existence, self-determination, and communication with and access to persons and services inside and outside the facility. A facility must protect and promote the rights of each resident, including each of the following rights:
(a) (1) The resident has the right to exercise his or her rights as a resident of the
facility and as a citizen or resident of the United States.
(2) The resident has the right to be free of interference, coercion, discrimination, and reprisal from the facility in exercising his or her rights. (3) In the case of a resident adjudged in incompetent under the laws of a State by a court of competent jurisdiction, the rights of the resident are exercised by the person appointed under State law to act on the resident’s behalf. (4) In the case of a resident who has not been adjudged incompetent by the State court, any legal surrogate designated in accordance with State law may exercise the resident’s rights to the extent provided by State law.
Use the above information to answer the following questions. 1. A resident has the right to vote.
2. A facility manager cannot stop contact with anyone with whom a resident chooses
3. If a resident is found to be incompetent, his or her rights will be protected by
Three of our classmates, John Shelby, Ed Garton, and Chuck Luton, have died of prostate cancer. It is not an easy death. In the cases of John and Ed, by the time a diagnosis was made, the cancer had already spread widely, and there was little that could be done other than ease the inevitable. They were both gone within months of the diagnosis. Bill Bailey forwarded this note from Chuck Luton on D
Diabetes: what, why and how Tibb can help Background Diabetes is a real threat to the health of more and more South Africans – some actually call it an epidemic. It is a chronic, debilitating disorder which has a major impact on the physical, social and working life of those who suffer from it. It is now one of the leading causes of disability and premature death in South Africa. T
Communication Skills for Health Care Providers