This is, in part, why I'm trying to follow the suggestion of a colleague at
my hospital to use the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Score on my Word
documents to make sure they are at the desired 4th grade level. Then I
submit to one or more Collaborative Practice Committees for review. I trust
their judgment when it comes to editing for content. I don't trust the Pt
Ed Comm to edit for content. When the RNs and MDs who work in NICU, L&D,
PostPartum & Peds approve the document, I know it's good. And more
importantly, THEY will use it. Then I just submit the approved patient
handout to the Pt Ed Com for their files. They have never yet come back on
anyone who has followed this process. I've done it once and will probably
do it again.

Then when I have the handout approved, I give it to one of our favorite
interpreters to translate into Spanish. They can't do it literally, of
course. But they have learned a lot about breastfeeding from personal
experience and from translating our BFing segments of our Discharge
Classes. They can state the facts in an equally simple version of Spanish
that communicates effectively to our Hispanic moms. And I know enough
Spanish to understand what they are writing and I rarely have a problem
with their version. Usually I question only for my own understanding as I
learn more Spanish vocabulary and grammar.

As you can see from the way I write, I do a LOT of editing to shorten my
sentences and words to achieve that magic 4th grade level.   :-}

Phyllis


> <<<Our Patient Ed committee requires that all materials be written on a
4th
> grade level>>>
> <<<this same Pt Ed Com rejects "poop" and "pee" on a hospital-logo
handout as
> being "unprofessional". They like "stool" and "urine" or "void".>>>
>
> I wish you were kidding, Phyllis, but I'm sure you're not.

No, I'm not. Another reason to avoid the Pt Ed Com.

> A group that wants to enforce a 4th grade reading level for their
materials is
> apparently intent on speaking in VERY plain language.  I applaud their
> intentions.  Technical jargon words that have only 1 or 2 syllables are
great
> for readability scoring, but they're STILL technical jargon, and need to
be
> replaced by more easily-understood words, especially for the very-limited
> literacy audience they're apparently trying to reach.  I can pretty safely
> assume that this committee doesn't field test material.  Is there any way
to
> influence this process??

> Sandra McMillan, RD
> Saint Eugene Medical Center
> Dillon SC

--- Phyllis Adamson, IBCLC
--- Glendale, AZ, USA
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