Ask MeAsk Me AnythingAnything

American Nurses Training Association

SimplicitySimplicity• Campaign strategy Campaign strategy

that prompts clients that prompts clients to ask to ask anyany questions questions about their about their healthcare healthcare

• A prompt for A prompt for providers to address providers to address HEALTH LITERACY in HEALTH LITERACY in EVERY clinical EVERY clinical encounter…encounter…Patient / Family <-> Health Care Worker Patient / Family <-> Health Care Worker

Health Care Worker <-> Health Care Health Care Worker <-> Health Care WorkerWorker

Importance Importance

• There’s no part of the healthcare There’s no part of the healthcare “experience” from….“experience” from….

• Admissions (history)Admissions (history)• Informed ConsentsInformed Consents• Discharge instructionsDischarge instructions

• …….that does not rely on accurate .that does not rely on accurate levels of communications.levels of communications.

Perceived Benefits to Perceived Benefits to ClientsClients

• Encourage them to Encourage them to act quickly onact quickly on their own behalftheir own behalf

• Interact with Interact with no shame orno shame or embarrassmentembarrassment at anytime! at anytime!

• ParticipateParticipate more in more in decision makingdecision making• Play a Play a greater rolegreater role in their health care in their health care• FollowFollow agreed agreed treatmenttreatment regimens regimens• LessenLessen their their anxietyanxiety• Have more Have more realisticrealistic expectationsexpectations

CompatibilityCompatibility

Joint Commission-Joint Commission-National Patient Safety National Patient Safety Goals-Goals-

•Goal #2E:Goal #2E: Implement a standardized Implement a standardized approach to ‘handoff’ communications, approach to ‘handoff’ communications, including an opportunity to ask and respond including an opportunity to ask and respond to questions to questions

•Goal #13Goal #13: Encourage patients’ active : Encourage patients’ active involvement in their own care as a patient involvement in their own care as a patient safety strategysafety strategy

•Goal #13AGoal #13A: Define and communicate the : Define and communicate the means for patients and their families to means for patients and their families to report concerns about safety and encourage report concerns about safety and encourage them to do so.them to do so.

TrialabilityTrialability

• The most important safety tool The most important safety tool that all members of the healthcare that all members of the healthcare team have at their immediate team have at their immediate disposal is disposal is communicationcommunication

• Everyone must be accountable to Everyone must be accountable to speak up if an unsafe or potentially speak up if an unsafe or potentially unsafe practice is evident, unsafe practice is evident, regardless of positionregardless of position

• Direct communication, with few Direct communication, with few handoffs, among all levels of handoffs, among all levels of caregivers to: caregivers to: Ask Me Ask Me Anything…........Anything…........

.....Or You’re Asking for .....Or You’re Asking for it!it!

•Poor patient outcomes-Poor patient outcomes-deaths or injuries that deaths or injuries that could have been avoidedcould have been avoided•Reinforcement of the Reinforcement of the public’s mistrust of public’s mistrust of cliniciansclinicians•Litigation against Litigation against physicians, hospital and physicians, hospital and cliniciansclinicians

ObservationsObservations

• The single greatest error in healthcare The single greatest error in healthcare is failure of communicationis failure of communication

• After an event has harmed a patient, After an event has harmed a patient, the best risk management tool is the best risk management tool is support with open communication linessupport with open communication lines

• Our code of ethics says as health care Our code of ethics says as health care professionals we have a moral professionals we have a moral responsibility to be honest with our responsibility to be honest with our patients patients

QuestionsQuestions

Ask MeAsk Me AnythingAnything

Questions Are The Questions Are The AnswersAnswers

The Following Sample The Following Sample Questions are Take From:Questions are Take From:

Did you recently receive a diagnosis?Did you recently receive a diagnosis?

Are you scheduled to have any medical tests?Are you scheduled to have any medical tests?

Are you considering treatment for an illness or condition?Are you considering treatment for an illness or condition?

Did your clinician recently recommend surgery?Did your clinician recently recommend surgery?

Did your clinician give you a prescription?Did your clinician give you a prescription?

Are you choosing a health plan?Are you choosing a health plan?

Are you choosing a clinician?Are you choosing a clinician?

Are you choosing a hospital?Are you choosing a hospital?

Are you choosing long term care?Are you choosing long term care?

Did you recently receive a Did you recently receive a diagnosis?diagnosis?

What is my diagnosis?What is my diagnosis?

What is the technical name of my disease or condition, and what does it mean in What is the technical name of my disease or condition, and what does it mean in plain English?plain English?

What is my prognosis (outlook for the future)?What is my prognosis (outlook for the future)?

What changes will I need to make?What changes will I need to make?

Is there a chance that someone else in my family might get the same condition?Is there a chance that someone else in my family might get the same condition?

Will I need special help at home for my condition?Will I need special help at home for my condition?

Is there any treatment?Is there any treatment?

What are my treatment options?What are my treatment options?

How soon do I need to make a decision about treatment?How soon do I need to make a decision about treatment?

What are the benefits and risks associated with my treatment options?What are the benefits and risks associated with my treatment options?

Is there a clinical trial (research study) that is right for me?Is there a clinical trial (research study) that is right for me?

Will I need any additional tests?Will I need any additional tests?

What organizations and resources do you recommend for support and information? What organizations and resources do you recommend for support and information?

Are you scheduled to Are you scheduled to have any medical tests?have any medical tests?

What is the test for?What is the test for?

How is the test done?How is the test done?

Will the test hurt?Will the test hurt?

How accurate is the test?How accurate is the test?

Is this test the only way to Is this test the only way to find out that information?find out that information?

What are the benefits and What are the benefits and risks of having this test?risks of having this test?

What do I need to do to What do I need to do to prepare for the test?prepare for the test?

How many times have you How many times have you performed the test?performed the test?

When will I get the results?When will I get the results?

What will the results tell What will the results tell me?me?

What's the next step after What's the next step after the test? the test?

Are you considering Are you considering treatment for an illness or treatment for an illness or

condition?condition? What are my treatment options?What are my treatment options?

What do you recommend?What do you recommend?

Is the treatment painful?Is the treatment painful?

How can the pain be controlled?How can the pain be controlled?

What are the benefits and risks What are the benefits and risks of this treatment?of this treatment?

How much does this treatment How much does this treatment cost?cost?

Will my health insurance cover Will my health insurance cover the treatment?the treatment?

What are the expected results?What are the expected results?

When will I see results from When will I see results from the treatment?the treatment?

What are the chances the What are the chances the treatment will work?treatment will work?

Are there any side effects?Are there any side effects?

What can be done about What can be done about them?them?

How soon do I need to make How soon do I need to make a decision about treatment?a decision about treatment?

What happens if I choose to What happens if I choose to have no treatment at all?have no treatment at all?

Did your clinician recently Did your clinician recently recommend surgery?recommend surgery?

Why do I need surgery?Why do I need surgery?

What kind of surgery do I need?What kind of surgery do I need?

What will you be doing?What will you be doing?

What are the benefits and risks of What are the benefits and risks of having this surgery?having this surgery?

Have you done this surgery Have you done this surgery before?before?

How successful is this surgery?How successful is this surgery?

Which hospital is best for this Which hospital is best for this surgery?surgery?

Will the surgery hurt?Will the surgery hurt?

Will I need anesthesia?Will I need anesthesia?

How long will the surgery take?How long will the surgery take?

How long will it take me to recover?How long will it take me to recover?

How long will I be in the hospital?How long will I be in the hospital?

What will happen after the surgery?What will happen after the surgery?

How much will the surgery cost?How much will the surgery cost?

Will my health insurance cover the Will my health insurance cover the surgery?surgery?

Is there some other way to treat my Is there some other way to treat my condition?condition?

What will happen if I wait or don't What will happen if I wait or don't have this surgery?have this surgery?

Where can I get a second opinion? Where can I get a second opinion?

Did your clinician give you Did your clinician give you a prescription?a prescription?

Is my medication list up to date?Is my medication list up to date?

What is the name of the medicine?What is the name of the medicine?

How do you spell the name?How do you spell the name?

Can I take a generic version of this Can I take a generic version of this medicine?medicine?

What is the medicine for?What is the medicine for?

How am I supposed to take it?How am I supposed to take it?

When should I take my medicine?When should I take my medicine?

How much medicine should I take?How much medicine should I take?

How long do I need to take the medicine?How long do I need to take the medicine?

When will the medicine start working?When will the medicine start working?

Can I stop taking my medicine if I feel Can I stop taking my medicine if I feel better?better?

Are there any side effects?Are there any side effects?

When should I tell someone about a When should I tell someone about a side effect?side effect?

Do I need to avoid any food, drinks, Do I need to avoid any food, drinks, or activities?or activities?

Does this new prescription mean I Does this new prescription mean I should stop taking any other should stop taking any other medicines I'm taking now?medicines I'm taking now?

Can I take vitamins with my Can I take vitamins with my prescription?prescription?

What should I do if I forget to take What should I do if I forget to take my medicine?my medicine?

What should I do if I accidentally What should I do if I accidentally take more than the recommended take more than the recommended dose?dose?

Is there any written information I Is there any written information I can take home with me?can take home with me?

Are there any tests I need to take Are there any tests I need to take while I'm on this medicine? while I'm on this medicine?

Can I get a refill?Can I get a refill?

Are you choosing a health Are you choosing a health plan?plan?

What are my options?What are my options?

Does this health plan provide the benefits and services I need?Does this health plan provide the benefits and services I need?

Does this health plan offer the clinicians and hospitals I want?Does this health plan offer the clinicians and hospitals I want?

Can I afford this health plan? Can I afford this health plan?

Are you choosing a Are you choosing a clinician?clinician?

Is this clinician part of my health plan?Is this clinician part of my health plan?

Does this clinician have the background and training I need?Does this clinician have the background and training I need?

Is this clinician able to work at the hospital I like?Is this clinician able to work at the hospital I like?

Can I ask talk to this clinician and ask questions easily?Can I ask talk to this clinician and ask questions easily?

Does this clinician listen to me? Does this clinician listen to me?

Are you choosing a Are you choosing a hospital?hospital?

Which hospital has the best care for my condition?Which hospital has the best care for my condition?

Is this hospital covered by my health insurance?Is this hospital covered by my health insurance?

Does the hospital meet national quality standards?Does the hospital meet national quality standards?

How does the hospital compare with others in my area?How does the hospital compare with others in my area?

Has the hospital had success with my condition?Has the hospital had success with my condition?

Does my clinician have privileges (is allowed to work) at this Does my clinician have privileges (is allowed to work) at this hospital?hospital?

How well does the hospital check and improve on its own How well does the hospital check and improve on its own

quality of care?quality of care?

Are you choosing long Are you choosing long term care?term care?

What kind of services do I need?What kind of services do I need?

What are my care options?What are my care options?

Will my health insurance cover long-term care?Will my health insurance cover long-term care?

Will this facility meet my needs?Will this facility meet my needs?

How is this care facility rated? How is this care facility rated?

Contact InformationContact InformationANTA.TrainingForNurses@gmail.co

m