speech and language therapy
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2022 ◽  
Vol 121 ◽  
pp. 104139
Author(s):  
Hanne B. Søndergaard Knudsen ◽  
Niloufar Jalali-Moghadam ◽  
Silvia Nieva ◽  
Ewa Czaplewska ◽  
Marja Laasonen ◽  
...  

2022 ◽  
pp. 026921632110508
Author(s):  
Claire A Collins

Background: Speech and language therapy in palliative care is a developing discipline of clinical practice. Research literature has highlighted that undergraduate palliative care education in speech and language therapy is inconsistent and inadequate. However, limited research has been carried out to date in relation to student speech and language therapists and palliative care. Aim: To explore the role of speech and language therapists in palliative care from the perspective of speech and language therapy students in Ireland. Design: A qualitative descriptive research study was conducted, involving focus group interviews. Setting/participants: Purposive sampling was used to recruit 12 student speech and language therapists from one university site for this study. Undergraduate second, third and fourth year students were eligible for inclusion. Results: This study revealed that undergraduate student speech and language therapists collectively agree that there is a role for speech and language therapy in palliative care. Although students acknowledged that speech and language therapists can make a positive difference to patients’ lives, and academic lectures were positively received, insufficient exposure to palliative care has resulted in fear, uncertainty and a lack of confidence amongst student speech and language therapists. Conclusions: A greater emphasis on palliative care is needed in undergraduate speech and language therapy education to ensure confidence and competency development. An exploration of student speech and language therapists’ experiences in a specialist palliative care unit would be advantageous to determine the appropriateness of this setting for clinical placements.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Hongo ◽  
Ryohei Yamamoto ◽  
Keibun Liu ◽  
Takahiko Yaguchi ◽  
Hisashi Dote ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Post-extubation dysphagia (PED) is recognized as a common complication in the intensive care unit (ICU). Speech and language therapy (SLT) can potentially help improve PED; however, the impact of the timing of SLT initiation on persistent PED has not been well investigated. This study aimed to examine the timing of SLT initiation and its effect on patient outcomes after extubation in the ICU.Methods: We conducted this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, collecting data from eight ICUs in Japan from patients treated between 2017 and 2020. Patients aged ≥ 20 years with orotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation for longer than 48 hours, and those who received SLT due to PED, defined as patients with modified water swallowing test scores of 3 or lower, were included. The primary outcome was dysphagia at hospital discharge, defined as functional oral intake scale score <5 or death after extubation. Secondary outcomes included dysphagia or death at the seventh, 14th, or 28th day after extubation, aspiration pneumonia, and in-hospital mortality. Associations between the timing of SLT initiation and outcomes were determined using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Two hundred and seventy-two patients met the study inclusion criteria. Of them, 82 (30.1%) patients exhibited dysphagia or death at hospital discharge, and their time spans from extubation to SLT initiation was 1.0 days. The primary outcome revealed that every day of delay in SLT initiation post-extubation was associated with dysphagia or death at hospital discharge (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.18). Similarly, secondary outcomes showed associations between this per day delay in SLT initiation and dysphagia or death at the seventh day (AOR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.55), 14th day (AOR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.58), or 28th day (AOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.36) after extubation and occurrence of aspiration pneumonia (AOR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.17), while per day delay in post-extubation SLT initiation did not affect in-hospital mortality (AOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.12). Conclusions: Delayed initiation of SLT in PED patients was associated with persistent dysphagia or death. Early initiation of SLT may prevent this complication post-extubation.


2022 ◽  
pp. 1432-1455
Author(s):  
Sheila Bridges-Bond

Silvia and Antonio Juarez described their 4-year-old son Emanuel as often happy. Emanuel came from a bilingual home and spoke both Spanish and English. His favorite activities were reading and playing with his iPad over-and-over again. Reading was a favorite pasttime and something that the Juarez's felt he did well. While he was described as “loving to engage people,” it was not clear that his efforts were successful nor was it clear that they were reciprocated. Briefly observing Emanuel's interaction with his parents, it was noted Emanuel used echolalic phrases and engaged in repetitive and restricted behaviors, toe walking, and finger flicking. These behaviors were noted to be unusual and warranted further evaluation. The Juarez's primary concern was regarding Emanuel's “talking and being able to hold a conversation.” Through speech and language therapy, the family expected that Emanuel's communication skills would improve, and he would be able to participate in conversations and talk in sentences.


Author(s):  
Michelle Smith-Tamaray ◽  
Sarah Verdon ◽  
Laura Hoffman

BACKGROUND: Recruitment and retention of skilled health workers into rural areas is a major challenge to achieving equity in health between rural and urban populations. OBJECTIVE: This study explored the impact of rurally-based tertiary education in promoting the recruitment and retention of speech and language therapists (SLTs) in non-metropolitan areas and intention to remain in the profession. METHODS: Participants in this cohort study were 133 graduates from a rurally-based speech and language therapy course in Australia who completed the course between 1998 and 2018. Data were collected via an online survey. Data were analysed using inferential statistics, ArcGIS mapping software and content analysis in NVivo. RESULTS: 65.0% of the graduates practiced in rural or remote areas with just 21.1% practicing in major cities. Most participants’ ideal work location was in a rural area. Benefits of rural practice included seeing a mixed caseload, living near family, work/life balance and loving their location. Challenges of rural practice included limited opportunities for specialist caseloads and career progression. In total, 93.2% of the rural graduates intended to remain in the speech and language therapy profession for the next 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that SLTs who are trained in rural areas with a focus on servicing rural populations are highly likely to enter and remain in rural practice, consistent with the rural pipeline model.


Author(s):  
Emma Gregory ◽  
Judy Clegg ◽  
Helen Cameron

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted significantly on the provision of speech and language therapy education. In this commentary, we consider the impact of unprecedented uncertainty and disruption on the student experience. Changes made within both university and practice-based learning environments have resulted in the continuation of high-quality learning experiences enabling students to continue or complete their programmes. However, studying in uncertain times has been destabilising for students having the potential to impact on the more nuanced aspects of clinical and professional development (e.g., self-efficacy, confidence, and professional identity formation). We reflect on collaborative efforts to support students with navigating uncertainty and change and to facilitate their ongoing personal, professional and clinical development in a holistic way. There is a need for empirical research into the experiences of student speech and language therapists who have studied or are continuing to study in the context of COVID-19. Such research will help inform university and practice-based educators as well as SLT managers about the ongoing needs of this population. Dealing with uncertainty should be considered within university-based curriculum development as well as induction and supervisory systems within the workplace.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12143
Author(s):  
Theresa Bloder ◽  
Maren Eikerling ◽  
Tanja Rinker ◽  
Maria Luisa Lorusso

Educational equality and the reduction of discrimination are among the UN’s Sustainability Goals. Previous studies as well as policy recommendations suggest that the extent to which these are implemented in the field of speech and language therapy for multilingual children depends on sufficient knowledge and material. To this end, an online survey was carried out with 300 Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) from Austria, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, investigating their attitudes and approaches regarding the service provision for multilingual children. Their responses were analyzed taking the SLTs’ language background, experience, and country of origin into account. Results were interpreted in the context of country-specific SLT service-related policies and SLT training as well as migration history. There seems to be a gap between the SLTs’ knowledge about the specific requirements for providing Speech Language Therapy (SLT) for multilingual children and their common practice, which—despite the continuous need of further training—points to sufficient awareness but a lack of materials or resources. We found experience in working with multilingual children to be the most influential factor on attitudes and approaches towards multilingualism. This suggests the importance of improving pre-exam and early-career professional experience to foster SLTs’ development of mindful attitudes and appropriate approaches towards multilingualism in their clinical practice.


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