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Explain a condition to patients in words they understand
A friendly, plain-English explanation sheet built from trusted guidance, at the right reading level, and checked by you before use.
When to use it
When you keep explaining the same thing to patients and families
Step by step
Start from trusted guidance
Pick the official source you'd normally use, such as your trust's leaflet or a national health service page, and copy the key text.
Ask for a plain-English version
Paste the guidance into your AI assistant with this prompt. Don't include anything about a particular patient.
Prompt to copyI'm a nurse. Rewrite the guidance below as a one-page explanation for patients and families about [condition or topic]. Use short sentences and everyday words at about a reading age of 9 to 11. Structure it as: What it is, Why it happens, What you can do at home, When to get help (copy this section's advice exactly from the source), Questions to ask your nurse or doctor. Don't add any medical advice that isn't in the source. Source text: [paste guidance].Check it carefully
Read it against the source line by line. You are responsible for its accuracy, so fix or remove anything that's off, and follow your trust's process for patient information.
Offer it in other formats
Ask for a large-print or translated version if your patients need it, and get translations checked by a qualified interpreter.
What you get
What is heart failure? Your heart is still working, but it's not pumping as strongly as it should. What you can do at home: weigh yourself every morning... When to get help: [copied from trust leaflet].
Tips
- Ask the assistant to read the draft back as if it were a worried relative and list what still sounds confusing.