As a medical professional, we will often be tasked with presenting a diagnosis to a patient with no educational background or experience within the healthcare profession.  In these cases, it is criti

As a medical professional, we will often be tasked with presenting a diagnosis to a patient with no educational background or experience within the healthcare profession.  In these cases, it is critical to convey this very important and pertinent information to the patient in a way in which they can fully understand the information, i.e., to put the information into laymen terms, as well as making certain the patient is comfortable in seeking additional support and community.

In addition, patients in the above scenario might also choose to seek out the help of a healthcare advocate (a medical professional appropriately trained within the medical field) to help the patient research, organize, understand and communicate and field questions with the physician.  Patient healthcare advocates require that the information is conveyed and presented to them as if the physician and/or healthcare professional were speaking to a colleague, i.e., medical and technical terms.

Assume the role of a healthcare professional tasked with educating both the newly diagnosed patient (in laymen terms), as well as the patient’s healthcare advocate (medical and technical terms).    

Instructions:

• Choose one cranial nerve injury or disease OR one spinal nerve injury or disease to serve as the focus of the assignment.
• Complete research on the selected injury or disease.
• Create an educational pamphlet for the patient that includes the following information on the injury or disease in laymen terms: 
  • Anatomy
  • Physiological processes/pathways 
  • Risk factors
  • Signs and symptoms
  • When to call the primary care provider or seek emergency room attention
  • Current and potential treatments (to include existing clinical trials)
  • Prevention strategies and measures
  • Online and community resources for further information and support 
• Create an educational pamphlet for the patient’s healthcare advocate that includes the following information on the injury or disease in medical and technical terms:
  • Anatomy
  • Physiological processes/pathways 
  • Risk factors
  • Signs and symptoms
  • When to call the primary care provider or seek emergency room attention
  • Current and potential treatments (to include existing clinical trials)
  • Prevention strategies and measures
  • Online and community resources for further information and support
• Be creative with the design and writing of each piece to make the information engaging and understandable for the patient and medically and technically appropriate for the patient’s healthcare advocate.
• Please be certain to cite any relevant information from sources used within your materials (to include photos and diagrams) in APA format.

• Unit 6: Educational Pamphlet