Abstract:
This session will provide a framework identifying key concepts for workshop participants to apply in their own environments which will proactively address potential health literacy deficiencies. It is essential that nursing students become familiar, comfortable, and competent in addressing health literacy with the health care seeking population. Health literacy is an essential component to addressing public health issues. New nurses may not be equipped to manage and address the diverse needs of the health care seeking population due to challenges such as limited clinical experiences and variation in nursing content delivery associated with the COVID crisis.
Audience Take Away Notes:
At the completion of the presentation, workshop participants will be able to:
1. Describe the role nurses play to promote and improve health literacy
2. Identify potential challenges which impair graduate nurses from integrating client health literacy into individualized client treatment plans
3. Describe potential strategies and initiatives which will enhance health literacy
Biography:
Michele Lopez is a life-long health education practitioner and learner, earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pace University and a Master of Arts in Nursing Administration, Leadership and Organization from Columbia University, Teacher’s College and a Doctorate of Health Education from A.T. Still University, College of Graduate Health Studies. Michele has completed research on incivility and bullying in nursing academia.
Michele has been a nurse educator for more than 19 years, teaching LPN, ADN-RN, BS-RN and graduate degree nursing programs in traditional classroom settings and online environments, clinical, and nursing labs. In addition to her years spent as an educator, she has 28 years nursing experience in various specialty areas including mental health nursing, medical surgical nursing, pediatrics, and home health care.
Michele has completed course work or holds certificates for clinical simulator education, diabetes management, and nurse education. She has received work study grants for curriculum development, medical math, and infection control.
Michele has helped many students succeed in nursing programs. She has dedicated her career to sharing her learning experiences with others. She is a trained member of the LGBTQ Ally program, and a trained Stephens Minister. Michele serves as a mentor to new teachers and graduate students, and is a graduate of Pace University’s Come Teach with Us Academy for math and science.
Michele has developed and delivered review courses for NCLEX certificate and license exam preparation. She has been called upon to review content material for nursing and health textbooks. Michele was also selected from a group of nurse educators by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) to perform NCLEX exam item writing.
Michele is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Pace University, and serves in the Medical Reserve Corp.
