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Keywords
Communication barriers
Disciplines
Nursing
Description
The 7 Center Acuity Adaptable unit cares for a wide diversity of patients. Many of these patients come in with some type of communication barrier, speech apraxia, stroke, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, deafness, selective muteness, learning delays or disabilities, intellectual disabilities, ALS, disabilities related to surgery, tracheostomy tubes, and many patients that speak another language. These patients may have communication difficulties. In the medical setting, it is especially important for healthcare professionals to meet both patients and their family’s needs. All patients have the right to communicate and participate in their treatment and express their immediate needs and preferences.
Communication barriers can lead to increased pain for patients, misdiagnoses, drug treatment errors, and increase length of stay in the hospital, and even death. Proper means of communication will allow for safe and effective care for the patient. Kuyler and Johnson (2021), showed that the use of a communication board for patients in a critical care setting is an effective tool for communication. However, Kuyler and Johnson (2021) later stated that vocabulary or images on the communication board may need to be altered to the patient due to patients cultural and dialogue backgrounds. As health care professionals we can apply this into practice to help eliminate communication barriers many patients face; to allow the health care team to provide safe and effective care.
Communication boards can help eliminate these barriers. Patients and healthcare workers can choose which type of communication board meets the patient’s needs. These boards increase patients' autonomy and help them communicate with healthcare professionals in an easy and effective way. Communication boards are one type of augmentative or alternative communication devices. Boards are inexpensive and easy to access. They may be discarded or sent home with patients to help patients communicate with the world outside the medical setting. This quality improvement project evaluated the effectiveness of communication boards in improving communication with patients with communication barriers.
Publication Date
5-6-2024
Recommended Citation
Schoder S, Brown K. Importance of communication boards for patients with communication barriers. Presented at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital; 2024 May 6-12; Royal Oak, MI.
Comments
Nurses Week at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, May 6-12, 2024.