Improving Patient Safety and Patient–Provider Communication

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard R. Hurtig ◽  
Rebecca M. Alper ◽  
Karen N. T. Bryant ◽  
Krista R. Davidson ◽  
Chelsea Bilskemper
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Provider Communication ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Acute Care Settings ◽  
Nurses Perceptions ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Many hospitalized patients experience barriers to effective patient–provider communication that can negatively impact their care. These barriers include difficulty physically accessing the nurse call system, communicating about pain and other needs, or both. For many patients, these barriers are a result of their admitting condition and not of an underlying chronic disability. Speech-language pathologists have begun to address patients' short-term communication needs with an array of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies. Method This study used a between-groups experimental design to evaluate the impact of providing patients with AAC systems so that they could summon help and communicate with their nurses. The study examined patients' and nurses' perceptions of the patients' ability to summon help and effectively communicate with caregivers. Results Patients who could summon their nurses and effectively communicate—with or without AAC—had significantly more favorable perceptions than those who could not. Conclusions This study suggests that AAC can be successfully used in acute care settings to help patients overcome access and communication barriers. Working with other members of the health care team is essential to building a “culture of communication” in acute care settings. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.9990962

scholarly journals Developing a Culture of Successful Communication in Acute Care Settings: Part II. Solving Institutional Issues

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037-1043
Author(s):  
Sarah Marshall ◽  
Richard R. Hurtig
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Shared Resources ◽  
Institutional Barriers ◽  
Successful Communication ◽  
Institutional Issues ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
Institutional Challenges

Purpose Establishing services for hospitalized patients with complex communication needs (CCNs) requires identifying and addressing both patient-based and institutional barriers. Although the previous paper ( Marshall & Hurtig, 2019 ) focused on patient-based barriers, this paper addresses overcoming institutional barriers. Method We present a series of cases to illustrate the institutional challenges in meeting the CCNs of patients in an acute care setting. Results Each case illustrates how the deployment of augmentative and alternative communication tools required addressing institutional/systems barriers and how critical collaborations help patients with CCNs to more effectively communicate with caregivers and participate in their care. Conclusion Building a culture of improved patient–provider communication involves establishing a wider range of interprofessional collaborations and shared resources in order to effectively provide patients with CCNs the tools to summon assistance and communicate with their caregivers.

scholarly journals Forum on Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Acute Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 989-990
Author(s):  
Richard R. Hurtig
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Provider Communication ◽  
Acute Care Setting ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Large Scale Clinical Trial

This forum provides some insights into the process of initiating a clinical service to enhance patient–provider communication. It also provides a report of a large-scale clinical trial that introduced augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools in an acute-care setting.

The Impact of Presupposition on the Syntax and Morphology of a Child Who Uses AAC

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (12) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patti L. Solomon-Rice ◽  
Gloria Soto ◽  
Wesley Heidenreich
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Background Information ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Complex Sentences ◽  
Communication Partner ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Pragmatic Presupposition

Children with complex communication needs often rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate. Use of AAC can result in messages with limited syntax and morphology that are difficult for communication partners to understand. This case study examines the linguistic productions of a child who uses high-tech AAC, with emerging literacy skills, under two pragmatic presupposition conditions. In Condition 1, the child believes the communication partner has a larger amount of background information about the topic being discussed. In Condition 2, the child presupposes the communication partner has less background information about the topic being discussed. Condition 2 resulted in the child's production of more complex morphology and syntax in comparison to Condition 1. The results suggest pragmatic presupposition might have impacted the level of morphologic and syntactic complexity produced. Possible clinical implications and suggestions for facilitating production of linguistically complex sentences are discussed.

Teacher-Implemented AAC Intervention to Support Peer Interaction in an Inclusive Preschool Classroom: A Pilot Study

Inclusion ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-91
Author(s):  
Michelle C. S. Therrien
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Inclusive Classrooms ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Inclusive Preschool ◽  
The Social ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
Support Teacher ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Children with complex communication needs confront many barriers to peer interaction and, without intervention, are at risk for social isolation, even in inclusive classrooms. The aims of this pilot study were to determine the feasibility of training a preschool teacher to implement a peer interaction intervention and to measure the impact on the participating children. The teacher in this study was taught to program an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app and to implement a peer interaction intervention. The teacher's positive perception of the training and intervention, along with the social improvements seen in this pilot study are promising. More research is needed to increase confidence in the effectiveness of this training to support teacher-implemented intervention and peer interaction in inclusive classrooms.

Taking Collective Action to Improve Patient-Provider Communication

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Wilson-Stronks ◽  
Sarah W. Blackstone
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Provider Communication ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Improve Patient

Abstract There are many reasons for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), especially those who work in the area of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), to take an active role in improving patient-provider communication. Effective patient-provider communication is fundamental to patient-centered care and correlates strongly with better patient outcomes, as well as increased patient safety and patient satisfaction. It is not only good practice, but good economics. In this article, we introduce existing laws, standards, regulations, and guidelines that address issues related to patient-provider communication in hospitals and other medical settings and discuss how, armed with this information and supportive data, SLPs (especially those with expertise in the area of AAC), can become active in preparing their clients for future medical encounters. We also highlight a need to work collaboratively with other professionals who support communication, such as language interpreters and nurses. Finally, we advocate for SLPs raising awareness about available services, tools, and strategies that support effective communication between patients and providers during medical encounters.

scholarly journals Developing a Culture of Successful Communication in Acute Care Settings: Part I. Solving Patient-Specific Issues

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1028-1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Marshall ◽  
Richard R. Hurtig
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Companion Paper ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Institutional Barriers ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Patient Provider Communication ◽  
Communication Needs

Purpose Establishing services for hospitalized patients with complex communication needs requires identifying and addressing both patient-based and institutional barriers. In this 1st article, we focus on overcoming patient-based barriers. The companion paper ( Marshall & Hurtig, 2019 ) addresses overcoming institutional barriers. Method We present a series of cases that illustrate both the challenges and some of the solutions that have emerged in addressing the specific needs of individual patients with complex communication needs. Results Each case illustrates how a dynamic assessment approach was used to allow patients with complex communication needs to more effectively communicate with caregivers and participate in their care. Conclusion Building a culture of improved patient–provider communication involves more than just providing patients with augmentative and alternative communication tools.

Toward an Understanding of the Interplay Between Culture, Language, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Blake Huer
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Full Inclusion ◽  
Societal Norms ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cultural Choices ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The discovery of appropriate forms and function for linguistic competence in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is linked to an understanding of the complexity of culture, cultural choices, the impact of acculturation on practices, societal norms and perceptions, and persons' with complex communication needs (PWCCN) basic human rights to full inclusion in social, educational, economic, and personal experiences on an everyday basis. This article focuses on these topics in order to promote further discussion regarding the influence of culture on the practice of AAC.

An Exploratory Study on Augmentative and Alternative Communication Classroom Integration Training for Special Educators Who Work With Children With Complex Communication Needs in the Bahamas

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 991-1016
Author(s):  
Shameka Stanford ◽  
Ovetta Harris
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
Classroom Integration ◽  
And Training

Purpose In 2011, the United Nations estimated there were between 180 and 220 million youth with disabilities living around the world, and 80% of them resided in developing countries. Over the last 6 years, this number has increased significantly, and now, over 1 million people live in the Caribbean with some form of disability such as communication disorders resulting in complex communication needs (CCN). Method This publication discusses the benefits of an exploratory, descriptive, nonexperimental study on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) classroom integration training for 8 special educators in the Bahamas who work with children with CCN. Results The results of this study revealed that 100% of the participants reported the study to be effective in increasing their knowledge and skill in the area of implementing AAC into their classrooms, enhancing their ability to team teach and incorporate AAC opportunities for all students with CCN within their classrooms, and increasing their knowledge and skill overall in the areas of AAC and CCN. Conclusion The findings highlight an important area of potential professional development and training that can be replicated in other English-speaking Caribbean territories focused on AAC classroom integration training program for special educators who teach students with CCN.

Developing an Effective Framework for the Augmentative and Alternative Communication Evaluation Process

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celeste R. Helling ◽  
Jamila Minga
Keyword(s):  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Complex Communication Needs ◽  
Expressive Communication ◽  
Communication Evaluation ◽  
Communication Needs

A comprehensive augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) evaluation is critical to providing a viable means of expressive communication for nonverbal people with complex communication needs. Although a number of diagnostic tools are available to assist AAC practitioners with the assessment process, there is a need to tailor the evaluation process to the specific communication needs of the AAC user. The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis for developing an effective and clinically driven framework for approaching a user-tailored AAC evaluation process.

Thoughts on Grammar Intervention in AAC

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Fey
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
Physical Limitations ◽  
Communication Needs ◽  
Communication Interventions ◽  
Planning Intervention

Abstract In this article, I propose that, for several reasons, grammar should be an early focus of communication interventions for young children using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. The basic goals for such programs should be to facilitate the child's comprehension of the language of the community, or the target language, thus leading the way to literacy, and to foster the child's use of symbol combinations that mirror the grammatical patterns of speaking children acquiring the target language, even if they cannot be fully grammatically complete. I introduce five principles that underlie most successful approaches to grammar interventions with children with specific language impairment. My initial attempts to apply these principles to interventions with children with complex communication needs indicate that they may be of considerable value to clinicians planning intervention programs. On the other hand, the challenges posed by the intellectual and physical limitations of many AAC users and their communication systems make it necessary to modify at least Principle 5 if the basic goals of intervention are to be met.

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