Accessible patient education starts with the person's preferred way of receiving and using information. Increasing the print size may help one patient; another may need electronic text, audio, Braille or assistance from a qualified reader.
DOJ lists these options in its effective-communication guidance and notes that Braille is useful for people who read it. A format should be selected for the individual, rather than inferred from the general description “vision impairment.”
Ask about the task and format
Identify what the patient needs to do with the information. Reading a short appointment reminder, comparing a longer document and locating a contact number may require different arrangements. Ask what the person already uses successfully and whether that method is available during the encounter and afterward.
A suggested preparation record includes the preferred format, the resource requested, who will provide it and how receipt will be confirmed. A request that is recorded but never fulfilled leaves the practical task unfinished.
Do not assume that a relative will read every document aloud. Ask the patient what assistance they want and preserve an opportunity for direct questions.
Support the person's existing approach
The National Eye Institute describes options such as magnification, changes to text size and contrast, and technology that reads information aloud. It also describes vision rehabilitation services that help people use devices and adapt everyday tasks. These are resources for individualized support, not a reason for the nursing team to prescribe a particular device without assessment.
For a fictional example, a patient prefers an electronic appointment letter that can be enlarged on their own device. Sending a file is only the first step. Ask whether the patient can open it, locate the appointment details and find the contact for changes.
If the supplied format does not work, arrange an alternative through the appropriate service rather than repeatedly sending the same document.
Check the complete resource
Review more than the main paragraph. Contact details, charts, labels and accompanying forms also need to be usable. When adapting material, keep the essential meaning and current information consistent across versions.
A practical quality check compares the accessible version with the approved source: are the next steps, cautions, dates and contact information still present? Ask the responsible content owner to resolve discrepancies. Do not remove an important detail merely because it is difficult to fit on a reformatted page.
Make the arrangement durable
Document the format that worked and any remaining need, using local recordkeeping standards. During a transfer or referral, identify which organization will supply the next information and how the patient will receive it.
For further reading, see communication access for patients with disabilities and evaluating patient education materials. The central review question is whether this person can use this resource for this task.
Sources
- ADA Requirements: Effective Communication (accessed 2026-09-17) — U.S. Department of Justice.
- Low Vision (accessed 2026-09-17) — National Eye Institute.