In healthcare, it is important to remember that our patients may not understand the information or teaching we share with them. You can help to improve understanding by communicating clearly. This helps everyone — not just those who may struggle to understand health information.
There are numerous guides and resources available to help clinical teams support patient and care partner learning. From these, we’ve made a list of communication tools that can best help you strengthen your ‘at the bedside’ teaching just in time for health literacy month this October!
Communication Tools
- Learn about why it’s important for clinical teams to consider the language they use and its impact on advancing health equity.
Resource: Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts
Authors: American Medical Association, AAMC Center for Health Justice
Link: https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/ama-aamc-equity-guide.pdf
- Learn how to use gender inclusive language with new clients in a clinical setting.
Resource: Gender Inclusive Language – Clinical settings with new clients
Authors: Trans Care BC
Link: https://www.transcarebc.ca/sites/default/files/2024-03/Gender_Inclusive_Language_Clinical.pdf
- Learn about gender inclusive language in any setting.
Resource: Inclusive and Affirming Language Tips
Authors: Egale Canada
Link: https://egale.ca/awareness/affirming-and-inclusive-language/
- Watch a short 2-minute video about medical jargon and how to communicate effectively and simply.
Resource: Keep It Simple for Safety - Don't Use Jargon
Authors: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiBZjpy3ibs&t
- Read a short, straightforward guide to help improve written communication intended for patients and care partners.
Resource: Guidelines for Effective Writing
Authors: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Link: https://www.cms.gov/training-education/learn/find-tools-to-help-you-help-others/guidelines-for-effective-writing
- Learn how to easily sharpen your health literacy skill set with these strategies.
Resource: Easy ways to build health literacy into your daily routines
Authors: Library Services
Link: https://library.nshealth.ca/blogs/Home/News/Easy-ways-to-build-health-literacy-into-your-daily-routines
- This free, 20-minute, online learning module can help you learn to identify and use key elements of teach-back and plain language to promote health equity, safety, and quality, and advance organizational health literacy.
Resource: Always Use Teach-back! Interactive Learning Module
Authors: Abrams MA, Nielsen GA, Wilson A. Always Use Teach-back! Toolkit. 2024. https://teachbacktraining.org
Link: https://teachbacktraining.org/teach-back-interactive-learning-module/
- Use tips from this resource to optimize care and improve provider-patient communication with older patients.
Resource: Talking With Your Older Patients
Authors: National Institute on Aging
Link: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/health-care-professionals-information/talking-your-older-patients
- Bookmark this list of plain language substitutes and easy explanations to use in your conversations or written content.
Resource: Plain Language Replacements
Authors: Library Services’ Patient Education Team
Link: https://library.nshealth.ca/ld.php?content_id=37381737
When patients, families, and support persons understand the information being shared with them, they can make more informed and meaningful decisions about their care and treatment, in collaboration with their healthcare team.
Gear up for health literacy month this October by sharing this resource list with your colleagues or team today!
Learn more about Health Literacy in the Content Creator Toolkit: https://library.nshealth.ca/Patient-Education-Resources/Health-Literacy
Kallen Rutledge
Librarian Educator, Patient Education Pamphlets Lead
Nova Scotia Hospital, Central Zone
Writing in plain language matters. In Canada, it’s reported that nine million people have limited literacy skills, with over half of Canadians reading below a high school level. This is just one of the reasons why it is important to offer additional support to patients and families with easy-to-read, straightforward patient pamphlets. For more information about creating or updating patient pamphlets, please visit the Patient Education Resources Toolkit. Contact Pamphlets@nshealth.ca with any questions. You can search for pamphlets by title or keyword in the pamphlets catalogue, or view the complete listing of active titles in our Print Code Index.
The following pamphlets were updated or created in September 2025.
Arabic Translations
AR85-2401 24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring [Arabic] (English: WG85-2073, En français: FF85-2389)
AR85-2256 How to Self-Prone with a Lung Injury [Arabic] (English: WC85-2251, En français: FF85-2255)
Previous title: How to Self-Prone: Instructions for COVID-19 Patients and Caregivers
AR85-2225 Guidelines After General Surgery [Arabic] (English: WO85-2223, En français: FF85-2224)
Skin Care
WR85-2310 Guidelines After a Minor Procedure - Dermatology Clinic
WR85-2524 NEW Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
WR85-2525 NEW Liquid Nitrogen (Cryotherapy)
WR85-2526 NEW Efudex® (5% Fluorouracil Cream) for Actinic Keratosis
Cardiovascular System
WG85-0393 Before and After Your Cardioversion - Halifax Infirmary (En français: FF85-1726)
WG85-1296 Angioplasty of the Leg (Balloon Procedure) (En français: FF85-1791)
Previous title: Angioplasty of the Legs (Balloon Procedure)
WG85-2523 NEW Cardiovascular (Heart) Disease - Changes in Your Mental Health
WG85-2530 NEW Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) - Patient Oriented Discharge Summary (PODS)
Chinese (Simplified) Translations
CH85-2527 NEW Over-the-Counter Medications and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) [Simplified Chinese] (English: WQ85-1636)
Diagnostic Imaging
WN85-0001 Angiogram - Halifax Infirmary Victoria General
Previous title: Angiogram
WN85-0229 Fistulogram
Digestive System
WI85-1555 Hepatic Encephalopathy
French Translations (en français)
FF85-2195 Don de cornées - Service de soins palliatifs (English: WD85-1150)
Previous title: Faire un don de vie - Don de cornées - Service des soins palliatifs
FF85-2099 Amygdalectomie et adénoïdectomie (English: WV85-0284)
FF85-1966 Surveillance de la glycémie chez les nouveaux-nés (English: WP85-1934)
Previous title: Surveillance de la glycémie chez les nouveau-nés
FF85-2105 Services de physiothérapie en Nouvelle‑Écosse (English: WB85-1438)
FF85-1783 Injection de Botox® (English: WW85-0282)
FF85-2166 Conseils de sécurité pour les enfants hospitalisés (English: WX85-2118)
Previous title: Conseils pour la sécurité des patients – Services de pédiatrie
FF85-2190 Virus Coxsackie (maladie mains-pieds-bouche et herpangine) (English: WA85-2127)
FF85-2188 Soins continus - Information importante (English: WX85-2120)
FF85-2191 Croup (diphtérie laryngienne) (English: WA85-2128)
FF85-2522 NEW Analyse d’urine après une opération (English: WJ85-2501)
Gynecology & Reproductive Health
WP85-2314 Welcome to the Women and Children's Unit - Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre
WP85-2520 NEW Thyroid Disorders During Pregnancy
Hospital Information
WX85-1542 Lowering Your Chance of Getting a Blood Clot While in the Hospital (En français: FF85-1545)
Previous title: Preventing Blood Clots While in the Hospital
WX85-2528 NEW Mi’kmaw Indigenous Patient Navigator (MIPN) - Western Zone
Mental Health & Addictions
WM85-2296 When should I be worried about my relationship with food and exercise?
WM85-2529 NEW Family and Support Person Education Program - Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program (NSEPP)
Musculoskeletal System
WE85-1582 Pressure Injury (Ulcer) Prevention (En français: FF85-1795)
Nephrology
WQ85-1475 Bowel Preparation for Chronic Kidney Disease Before Colonoscopy
WQ85-0397 Fistuloplasty
Nervous System
WL85-2302 Sexual Health After a Spinal Cord Injury
Previous title: Sexual Health After Spinal Cord Injury
Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
WB85-1299 Liver Transplant Physiotherapy Program (En français: FF85-1839)
WB85-1597 General Leg Exercise Program (En français: FF85-2085)
Surgery
WO85-2521 NEW Before and After Day Surgery
The following pamphlets were archived in September 2025:
NSCCP-1686 Male Breast Cancer
WQ85-2283 Fistulogram - Cape Breton Regional Hospital
WQ85-2284 Fistuloplasty - Cape Breton Regional Hospital
If a pamphlet that has been archived is still needed, please let us know as soon as possible and we will work with you to make it available again.
Kendell Fitzgerald
Librarian Educator
Central Zone