Capella 4035 Assessment 1

Capella 4035 Assessment 1

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4035 Enhancing Patient Safety and Quality of Care

Prof. Name

Date

Enhancing Quality and Safety

Hospitals face ongoing challenges in ensuring that patients fully comprehend their diagnoses, treatment plans, and self-care strategies. Poor patient education can result in complications, prolonged hospitalizations, and inflated medical expenses. Proactive measures to enhance patient education are therefore necessary for advancing safety and health outcomes (Bhattad & Pacifico, 2022). This paper outlines targeted strategies for improving educational interventions, reducing preventable complications, and lowering healthcare costs. Key actions include routinely assessing patients’ comprehension levels and delivering clear, personalized health information. Nurses play a central role by collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure patients receive the necessary tools to manage their care effectively.

Factors Leading to Inadequate Patient Education in Healthcare Settings

Ineffective patient education undermines individuals’ ability to make informed decisions about their care. In the United States, insufficient understanding of treatment regimens and medications contributes to a significant portion of preventable adverse events. An estimated 80 million Americans face challenges related to health literacy (O’Mara et al., 2022). Various patient- and system-level factors exacerbate the issue. Patient-specific contributors include cognitive impairments, language difficulties, limited literacy skills, and memory concerns, particularly among older adults with chronic conditions such as dementia (Fan et al., 2021). System-level issues encompass limited staffing, rushed explanations, a lack of standardized communication methods, and failure to verify patient understanding.

For example, omitting the teach-back method or failing to provide written materials can lead to non-adherence and misunderstandings (Brown et al., 2024). These breakdowns can result in medication misuse, missed appointments, and worsened health outcomes. To counteract this, institutions must adopt collaborative, patient-centered communication methods and continuously assess educational initiatives. Moreover, early evaluation of educational needs upon admission is essential. Complex treatment regimens and polypharmacy can be overwhelming without proper instruction. Evidence-based approaches supported by organizations such as the Joint Commission and QSEN recommend strategies such as health literacy assessments, structured training for staff, and the use of communication tools to reinforce understanding (AlRatrout et al., 2025).

Solutions to Improve Patient Safety and Reduce Costs

Implementing evidence-informed patient education can significantly improve safety and reduce costs. Tools such as the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) are useful in determining the clarity and usability of educational materials, including pamphlets and instructional videos (AHRQ, 2020). Over 42 million Americans receive insufficient health education, which adds an estimated $106 to $238 billion to annual healthcare expenditures—comprising nearly 8–18% of personal healthcare spending (Shahid et al., 2022). Financial penalties from Medicare and Medicaid for preventable errors further emphasize the need for robust educational practices.

Customized education strategies are most effective in enhancing patient understanding. Nurses can employ techniques like the teach-back method and utilize health education technologies to assess and adapt to each patient’s comprehension level (Brown et al., 2024). Visual aids, simplified reading materials, multilingual resources, and discharge support tools such as checklists and digital alerts help solidify learning. These interventions reduce the risk of errors and promote a safer care environment. Furthermore, adequate nurse staffing and interprofessional teamwork are essential in delivering thorough, accurate education. Gaps in staffing often lead to overlooked education opportunities, which increase patient risk. Structured education programs improve patient knowledge, decrease readmissions, and reduce liability associated with poor informed consent (Wang & Lo, 2021).

Nursing Coordination to Increase Patient Safety and Reduce Costs

Nurses are central to coordinating efforts that improve patient education and safety while decreasing healthcare expenses. Their role includes working with diverse care providers, delivering clear information, and adopting evidence-based education protocols. According to the CDC (2024), ineffective communication and instruction result in preventable complications and high healthcare costs annually. Given that Medicaid and Medicare do not reimburse expenses tied to preventable errors, hospitals must invest in nurse-led educational interventions.

Nurses can lead initiatives such as routine literacy screening and individualized education plans that utilize culturally appropriate, accessible materials. Collaborative efforts with physicians, pharmacists, and allied health professionals help create cohesive care plans. Structured patient education programs assess patient comprehension and adapt messages accordingly. Nurses must guide patients and families in understanding medication regimens, symptom tracking, and necessary lifestyle adjustments. By utilizing strategies like the teach-back method, multilingual aids, and clear instructional visuals, nurses help reduce errors, hospital readmissions, and long-term complications (Brown et al., 2024).

Stakeholders in Nursing Coordination for Inadequate Patient Education

A comprehensive approach to improving patient education involves coordinated efforts from multiple stakeholders. Nurses must collaborate with physicians, pharmacists, administrators, therapists, health educators, and patients themselves. Physicians and advanced practice providers evaluate health conditions and guide medication education (Ho et al., 2023). Pharmacists assist by ensuring patients understand medication purposes and side effects. Administrative leaders play a supportive role by allocating resources for training and providing multilingual educational materials (Wang & Lo, 2021).

Physical and occupational therapists contribute by guiding patients in functional tasks and self-management strategies. Health educators help design customized plans aligned with individual patient goals. Safety officers assess the outcomes of educational interventions and ensure alignment with accrediting bodies like The Joint Commission. Even environmental services play a part by maintaining learning-friendly spaces. Finally, patients and families are integral partners in the education process. Their engagement ensures the success of strategies aimed at improving knowledge, safety, and reducing complications and hospital readmissions.

Table: Key Stakeholders and Their Roles in Enhancing Patient Education

Stakeholder	Role in Patient Education
Nurses	Lead education efforts, conduct assessments, deliver personalized health information
Physicians & Advanced Providers	Diagnose, prescribe, and educate on clinical conditions and treatments
Pharmacists	Educate on medication adherence, side effects, and usage
Hospital Administrators	Allocate resources for staff training and patient materials
Physical/Occupational Therapists	Assist with functional education and rehabilitation plans
Health Educators	Create and evaluate customized learning plans
Safety Officers	Monitor outcomes, ensure compliance with standards
Environmental Services	Maintain distraction-free, organized spaces conducive to learning
Patients & Families	Actively participate in education to improve understanding and adherence

Conclusion

Improving patient education is fundamental to enhancing healthcare quality, safety, and reducing unnecessary expenses. Nurses serve as primary educators and care coordinators, implementing strategies that promote understanding and adherence. Through interprofessional collaboration and patient-centered communication, healthcare organizations can achieve better patient outcomes, reduce preventable errors, and build a safer, more informed care environment.

References

AHRQ. (2020, September). Patient Engagement and Education | Agency for Health Research and Quality. https://www.ahrq.gov/health-literacy/patient-education/index.html

AlRatrout, S., Khader, I., ALBashtawy, M., Asia, M., Alkhawaldeh, A., & Hani, S. (2025). The impact of The Quality and Safety Education (QSEN) program on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of junior nurses. PLOS ONE, 20(1), e0317448. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317448

Bhattad, P., & Pacifico, L. (2022). Empowering patients: Promoting patient education and health literacy. Cureus, 14(7), e27336. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.27336

Brown, C., Dotson, B., Montgomery, J., Sutterfield, C., & Maharaj, G. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of using the teach-back method to improve the health literacy of individuals in the community. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 42(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370016.2024.2399347

CDC. (2024, October 8). Health Literacy. https://www.cdc.gov/health-literacy/index.html

Capella 4035 Assessment 1

Davaris, M. T., Bunzli, S., Trieu, J., Dowsey, M. M., & Choong, P. F. (2022). The role of digital health interventions to improve health literacy in surgical patients: A narrative review in arthroplasty. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 92(10), 2474–2486. https://doi.org/10.1111/ans.17931

Fan, Z., Yang, Y., & Zhang, F. (2021). Association between health literacy and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Public Health, 79(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00648-7

Ho, J. T., See, M. T. A., Tan, A. J. Q., Jones, T., Lau, T. C., Zhou, W., & Liaw, S. Y. (2023). Healthcare professionals’ experiences of interprofessional collaboration in patient education: A systematic review. Patient Education and Counseling, 116, 107965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2023.107965

Shahid, R., Shoker, M., Chu, L. M., Frehlick, R., Ward, H., & Pahwa, P. (2022). Impact of low health literacy on patients’ health outcomes: A multicenter cohort study. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08527-9

Capella 4035 Assessment 1

Wang, M.-J., & Lo, Y.-T. (2021). Improving patient health literacy in hospitals – A challenge for hospital health education programs. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 14, 4415–4424. https://doi.org/10.2147/rmhp.s332220