Health Promotion for Patients with Intellectual Disability

Running head: HEALTH PROMOTION 1
Health Promotion for Patients with Intellectual Disability
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

HEALTH PROMOTION 2
Health Promotion for Patients with Intellectual Disability
Communication is one of the important component used in improving patient safety
and satisfaction. Effective communication and interaction between nurses and patients also
improve patient outcomes and experience in the healthcare facility (MacArthur et al., 2015).
This is divided into three sections based on the provided question. Each section provides
comprehensive information about communication in the healthcare setting the similarities and
differences between the two nurses are analysed and evaluated based on their communication
skills, behaviours, and attitudes. The essay is developed on the intellectual disability and
literature materials are used to support the concepts applied in the paper.
The communication strategies are analysed based on their abilities to improve patient-
nurse interaction; therefore, ensuring effective outcomes (Tuffrey-Wijne et al., 2014).
Effective interaction is important because it improves patient experience and satisfaction in
the healthcare facility one health policy and government directive are also analysed in the
essay because they help in promoting the needs of the disabled people in the healthcare
settings (Nazarjuk, Bernal, Southgate, 2013). Appropriate literature material is used to
support the selected communication strategies. First, this essay will talk about the nature of
communications based on the analysis of the attitudes, communication skills, and behaviours
of two nurses identified in the case scenario. Secondly, this essay will provide appropriate
communication strategies that are used in promoting health literacy among people with
intellectual disabilities lastly, the essay will provide a discussion of the inequitable healthcare
that applies to the people with intellectual disability to promote human rights.
Comparing and Contrasting the Communication Skills, Behaviours, and Attitudes of
the Nurses

HEALTH PROMOTION 3
Intellectual disability is selected form analysis in this essay because interferes with
effective communication between nurse and patients in the healthcare setting. Intellectual
disability is a problem that results to difficulties in reasoning and adaptive behaviour. A
competent nurse is always engaged in professional and therapeutic relationships. First,
Nurses normally engage in professional and therapeutic relationships through providing clear
instructions to the patients and other professionals in the healthcare facility. Secondly, a nurse
engages in professional and therapeutic relationships by using appropriate communication
strategies like repeating key terms/points in the conversation. The nurses also promote good
relationships by ensuring effective communication to maintain professional and personal
boundaries in the nursing practice. Effective communication is based on the behaviour and
attitude of the nurse on the patient (Pelleboer-Gunnick, Van Oousouw, Van Weeghel,
Embregts, 2017. Lastly, the nurses promote professional and therapeutic relationships by
ensuring teamwork and collaboration to ensure quality outcomes in the facility. In this case,
the good nurse introduces herself to the patient and provides appropriate instructions to the
patient about all the activities she is going to perform. On the other hand, the grumpy nurse
does not engage herself in professional and personal relationships with the patient she failed
to greet the patient after her arrival into the room.
The second difference between the nurses is their critical thinking and abilities to
analyse the underlying nursing practice in the facility. A nurse can promote effective critical
thinking by respecting the diversity and rights of the patients in the facility (Department of
Health, 2009). Also, a nurse applies health promotion policies to analyse the nursing practices
and promote quality outcomes. Another way of promoting critical thinking is through
consultation with the experienced nurses to improve quality of care provided to the patients.
Lastly, a nurses applies Evidence-Based Practice for effective reasoning and critical thinking.
According to literature materials and research studies, intellectual disability affects an

HEALTH PROMOTION 4
approximate of one percent of the total population in the world (Linehan et al., 2009). An
individual is considered to be intellectually disabled when he/she is not able to learn faster as
compared to other people. Intellectual disability affects reasoning abilities; therefore,
reducing mental performances. The first nurse is able to apply critical thinking skills to
analyse the status of the patient without being judgemental on him. For example, when the
patient refuses to eat, the good nurse is able to convince him of the importance of eating.
Also, a good nurse determines why the patient. The grumpy nurse did not consider analysing
the reasons that might have made the patient refuse to take the meal.
Communication Strategies for Improving Health Literacy
Health literacy is one of the important aspects that affect health promotion in
Australia and other parts of the world. According to research studies, people with lower
education levels and intellectual disabilities are likely to face various challenges related to
health literacy (Hemm, Dagnan, Meyer, 2015). In most cases, the low level of health literacy
reduces the abilities of people to manage their personal health status. Communication
strategies are important in promoting health literacy because it reduces the risks of
developing health conditions. The application of communication strategies is important for
promoting health literacy among patients with intellectual disability. Some of the
communication strategies are provided by the World Health Organization (WHO)
(Robertson, Hatton, Emerson, Baines, 2014).
First, slow down to ensure that the patient listens to what you are saying. Talking
slowly is important because patients with patients are not able to understand what you are
telling them in the conversation. The patients with intellectual disability are capable of
learning slowly; therefore, slowing down in communication improves the quality of health
literacy among these patients. The second strategy to be used in promoting health literacy