Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups | 2021
Providing Aphasia Therapy Across Health Care Settings: Clinical Simulation in the Academic Classroom
Abstract
\n \n The purpose of this study was to examine whether a free, video-based simulation activity implemented in a first-year graduate speech-language pathology class would improve students confidence with assessment and treatment of persons with aphasia across health care settings.\n \n \n \n Assessment of a fictional patient with aphasia was presented for four settings: acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, home health, and outpatient rehabilitation in video format. Goals were written collaboratively, and therapy techniques were practiced in small groups with direction from clinical instructors. Pre- and posttests assessed change in students confidence with assessment and treatment of patients with aphasia across health care settings. Students also listed the factors a speech-language pathologist should consider that would impact a patient s functional rehabilitation in any health care setting.\n \n \n \n Students confidence improved from pre to post for each clinical skill and health care setting presented in the simulation activity. The simulation activity did not, however, affect the speech-language pathology students ability to identify factors that would impact a patient s functional rehabilitation across health care settings, such as patient motivation and comorbidities.\n \n \n \n Overall, the results suggest that a free, accessible video-based simulation can be used to facilitate student learning, when challenges such as cost and accessibility limit the use and implementation of simulation and standardized patient experiences in university settings.\n