Nannette Nicholson

Audiology Students’ Perception of Hybrid Simulation Experiences: Qualitative Evaluation of Debriefing Sessions

Simulation-based research is still new in the audiology field and requires more research to better understand students’ perspectives on standardized patients/parents (SPs) and manikins use. There is also limited research about debriefing practices in audiology. This qualitative study used a baby simulator and SPs to evaluate audiology students’ reflection during three debriefing sessions conducted at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science (UAMS) Simulation Center. Seventeen Doctor of Audiology (AuD) students participated in the simulation event, and the data were collected using the transcripts of videotaped debriefing sessions. The qualitative content analysis of the transcripts revealed eight sub-themes: support, compassion, respect, teamwork, limited academic knowledge and practice, insufficient communication skills, low self-confidence, and undesirable emotional reactions. These items, in turn, fell under two main themes of Qualification and Lack of Preparation. Both main themes were included in one core category named Professional Dispositions and Competencies. Study findings indicated that audiology students demonstrated both promising professional dispositions and competencies as well as characteristics that may hinder students from developing their professional abilities. Thus, audiology programs will benefit from simulation use, including debriefing sessions, to emphasize professional efficiency.

Verification of Speech Spectrum Audibility for Pediatric Baha Softband Users With Craniofacial Anomalies

Objective The purpose of this study was (1) to determine benefit of the Baha Softband coupled to the Softband for infants and children with bilateral conductive hearing loss; and (2) to verify audibility of the speech spectrum for octave frequencies 500 through 4000 Hz. Design The research design for this retrospective chart study is pretest-posttest repeated measures. Setting The study was conducted in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Participants Twenty-five children aged 6 months to 18 years with craniofacial disorders and bilateral conductive hearing loss participated in the study. Participants were consistent, full-time unilateral Baha users with the Baha Compact bone-conduction amplifier coupled to the head via the Softband. Interventions The intervention was the Baha device coupled to the head via the Softband as a prerequisite to surgical implantation. Main Outcome Measure(s) The primary study outcome measures used aided and unaided soundfield audiometric thresholds to calculate functional gain. Audibility of the speech spectrum was verified by comparison with target aided thresholds. Results Results revealed an improvement in soundfield thresholds with Baha amplification for the four octave frequencies. Means, standard deviations, and confidence intervals for aided and unaided thresholds are reported. Percentages of thresholds meeting target levels were significant at all frequencies, exceeding the 80% criterion. Conclusions Benefit of the Baha in providing audibility of the speech spectrum for infants and children with bilateral congenital conductive hearing loss has been demonstrated, offering important and timely data supporting third-party reimbursement.

The Relationship of Audiometric Thresholds Elicited with Pulsed, Warbled, and Pulsed-Warbled Tones in Adults with Normal Hearing

Objective: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) guidelines allow pulsed and warbled tones in measuring audiometric thresholds and include test frequencies of 3000 and 6000 Hz. However, no research has examined the relationship between thresholds obtained with these stimuli at these frequencies. This study investigated the relationship between thresholds obtained with pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones. Design: Thresholds from 25 listeners were obtained using pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones at test frequencies recommended by ASHA. Results: Thresholds elicited with pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones did not significantly differ. Conclusions: Findings support using pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones for threshold measurements at the frequencies recommended by ASHA.

Home Visiting Programs for Families of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Systematic Review

Prelingual hearing loss greatly restricts a child’s language development, hindering his or her behavioral, cognitive, and social functioning. Although technology such as hearing aids and cochlear implants provide access to sound, infants and children also need habilitation to develop skills. These skills include learning to listen, or attend, to process language (whether visual or spoken), and to produce language and communicate. Home visiting is widely recognized as a cost-effective intervention service delivery model. Home visiting programs for promoting language development in children who are diagnosed as deaf or hard of hearing have been in existence for over 50 years, yet there is limited evidence of their effectiveness. This review was undertaken to assess the evidence of effectiveness of home visiting in children with prelingual hearing loss. While many studies have examined early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, few are published from specific home visiting programs meeting the criteria for inclusion in this review. Studies from specific home visiting program models designed to meet the needs of the target population are needed to examine the effectiveness of promoting language development within the context of a home visiting program for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.