Integrating the Essentials Core Competencies Related to Health Literacy Into Undergraduate Curriculum: Tapping Traditional and Emerging Education Strategies

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in healthcare systems regarding health literacy. Although involving individuals, families, and communities in healthcare decision-making improves their outcomes, their ability to interpret information depends on attention to health literacy and readability of materials. Nursing educators have an essential role in teaching students how to implement literacy-appropriate health education strategies. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education includes health literacy content in the domains, competencies, and sub-competencies. There is a dearth of literature that guides faculty to apply the Essentials related to health literacy. Grounded in the health literacy components of the Core Competencies, this paper presents traditional, artificial intelligence (AI) enhanced, and interprofessional education (IPE) teaching strategies and methods for evaluation to develop health literacy competency. This paper will be useful for faculty who desire to integrate the core competencies with innovative approaches to teach health literacy within the undergraduate nursing curricula, to address health literacy disparities, and promote equitable, positive individual outcomes.