Download PDF
Semin Speech Lang 2011; 32(3): 243-255
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1286178
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Teaching Nursing Assistant Students about Aphasia and Communication

Jessica Dionne Welsh1 , Gretchen Beideman Szabo1
  • 1Adler Aphasia Center, Maywood, New Jersey
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
23 September 2011 (online)

    Permissions and Reprints

ABSTRACT

Research indicates that communication between patients with communication disorders and their health care providers may be compromised, which leads to adverse outcomes and reduced participation in patients' own health care. Emerging studies demonstrate that effective communication education programs may decrease communication difficulties. This feasibility study of an education program that includes people with aphasia as educators aims to improve nursing assistant students' knowledge of aphasia and awareness of supported communication strategies while also examining the experiences of participants with aphasia. This preliminary study suggests that explicit aphasia and communication training delivered in this format has positive learning outcomes for nursing assistant students and potential psychosocial benefits to participants with aphasia. The format can be modified for a variety of health care audiences and lends itself to implementation by community aphasia groups and centers.

KEYWORDS

Aphasia - education - nursing assistants - communication - students

REFERENCES

  • 1 Hemsley B, Sigafoos J, Balandin S et al.. Nursing the patient with severe communication impairment.  J Adv Nurs. 2001;  35 (6) 827-835
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Gordon C, Ellis-Hill C, Ashburn A. The use of conversational analysis: nurse-patient interaction in communication disability after stroke.  J Adv Nurs. 2009;  65 (3) 544-553
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Murphy J. Perceptions of communication between people with communication disability and general practice staff.  Health Expect. 2006;  9 (1) 49-59
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Bartlett G, Blais R, Tamblyn R, Clermont R J, MacGibbon B. Impact of patient communication problems on the risk of preventable adverse events in acute care settings.  CMAJ. 2008;  178 (12) 1555-1562
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Kagan A. Supported conversation for adults with aphasia: methods and resources for training conversation partners.  Aphasiology. 1998;  12 (9) 816-830
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Purdy M, Hindenlang J. Educating and training caregivers of persons with aphasia.  Aphasiology. 2005;  19 377-388
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Hickey E, Bourgeois M, Olswang L. Effects of training volunteers to converse with nursing home residents with aphasia.  Aphasiology. 2004;  18 625-637
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Sorin-Peters R, McGilton K, Rochon E. The development and evaluation of a training programme for nurses working with persons with communication disorders in a complex continuing care facility.  Aphasiology. 2010;  24 (12) 1511-1536
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 McCallion P, Toseland R W, Lacey D, Banks S. Educating nursing assistants to communicate more effectively with nursing home residents with dementia.  Gerontologist. 1999;  39 (5) 546-558
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Dijkstra K, Bourgeois M, Burgio L, Allen R. Effects of a communication intervention on the discourse of nursing home residents with dementia and their nursing assistants.  J Med Speech Lang Pathol. 2002;  10 (2) 143-157
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Simmons-Mackie N, Kagan A, O'Neill Christie C, Huijbregts M, McEwen S, Willems J. Communicative access and decision making for people with aphasia: implementing sustainable health care systems change.  Aphasiology. 2007;  21 (1) 39-66
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Liechty J A. The sounds of silence: relating to people with aphasia.  J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2006;  44 (8) 53-55
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 World Health Organization .International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: ICF. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2001
    Google Scholar
  • 14 Joint Commission .The Joint Commission Standards Supporting Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Patient-Centered Care. Available at: http://www.jointcommission.org/NR/rdonlyres/B48B39E3-107D-495A-9032-24C3EBD96176/0/PDF32009HAPSupportingStds.pdf Accessed August 24, 2010
    Google Scholar
  • 15 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .Healthy People 2020 Objective Topic Areas. Available at: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/pdfs/HP2020objectives.pdf Accessed December 12, 2010
    Google Scholar
  • 16 LPAA Project Group .Life participation approach to aphasia: a statement of values for the future. In: Chapey R, ed. Language Intervention Strategies in Aphasia and Related Neurogenic Communication Disorders, 4th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001: 235-245
    Google Scholar
  • 17 Tomkowiak J, Gunderson A. When patients teach their doctors: a curriculum for geriatric education.  Educ Gerontol. 2004;  30 785-790
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Vail R, Mahon-Salazar C, Morrison A, Kalet A. Patients as teachers: an integrated approach to teaching medical students about the ambulatory care of HIV infected patients.  Patient Educ Couns. 1996;  27 (1) 95-101
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Ottewill R, Demain S, Ellis-Hill C, Greenyer C H, Kileff J. An expert patient-led approach to learning and teaching: the case of physiotherapy.  Med Teach. 2006;  28 (4) e120-e126
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Avent J, Patterson J, Lu A, Small K. Reciprocal scaffolding treatment: a person with aphasia as clinical teacher.  Aphasiology. 2008;  23 (1) 110-119
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Adler Aphasia Center Education & Training Group .Aphasia in action. Available at: http://aphasiacorner.com/blog/living-with-aphasia-2/aphasia-in-action-710#more-710 Updated November 17, 2010. Accessed December 12, 2010
    Google Scholar
  • 22 National Association of Health Care Assistants .Membership. Available at: http://nahcacares.org/membership.htm Accessed November 11, 2010
    Google Scholar
  • 23 Aphasia Institute .Jerry videos [DVD]. Canada: Aphasia Institute; 2008
    Google Scholar
  • 24 National Aphasia Association .Can you pass the aphasia quiz?. Available at: http://aphasia.org/Aphasia%20Facts/aphasia_quiz.html Accessed December 14, 2010
    Google Scholar
  • 25 Creswell J W. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 2003
    Google Scholar
  • 26 Thompson M, Burke K. A nursing assistant training program in a long term care setting.  Gerontol Geriatr Educ. 1998;  19 (1) 23-35
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Resnick B, Simpson M, Galik E et al.. Making a difference: nursing assistants' perspectives of restorative care nursing.  Rehabil Nurs. 2006;  31 (2) 78-86
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 28 Wårdh I, Hallberg L RM, Berggren U, Andersson L, Sörensen S. Oral health education for nursing personnel; experiences among specially trained oral care aides: one-year follow-up interviews with oral care aides at a nursing facility.  Scand J Caring Sci. 2003;  17 (3) 250-256
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar

APPENDIX A Aphasia and Communication

Zoom Image

APPENDIX B Structured Interview Questions for Copresenters with Aphasia

  1. What do you think about your experiences going to Bergen Community College to talk with the nursing assistant students about aphasia and communication?

  2. Do you get anything personally out of doing those trainings? If yes, what?

  3. Why are you involved in this project?

  4. On a scale of one to ten (1 = worst; 10 = best), how would you rate the experience?

  5. How does it make you feel to be part of this project?

  6. What do you think is good about this program? What do you think makes this program work?

  7. What do you think we should change about this program?

  8. Are there other education or outreach projects that you would like to do?

  9. Do you plan to continue to be involved in aphasia education projects in the future? Why/why not?

  10. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Jessica Dionne WelshM.S. CCC-SLP 

Education and Training Coordinator, Adler Aphasia Center

60 West Hunter Avenue, Maywood, NJ 07607

Email: jdionnewelsh@adleraphasiacenter.org

      >