TY - JOUR
T1 - High-fidelity simulation improves long-term knowledge of clinical swallow evaluation
AU - Bartlett, Rebecca S.
AU - Bruecker, Savannah
AU - Eccleston, Bobby
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant to the Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative at Northern Arizona University (U54MD012388). The authors also thank Karley Ghaby for her participation as a simulation actor and Christine R. Kirby for her assistance with ATLAS.ti software.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - Purpose: Clinical swallow evaluation (CSE) is a critical skill that speech-language pathologists who manage swallowing impairment must learn. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to determine if using a human patient simulator (HPS) to train speech-language pathology graduate students in CSE improved knowledge, preparedness, and anxiety as compared to traditional instruction alone. Method: This was a controlled trial with repeated measures. Participants included graduate students from two cohorts who were enrolled in a swallowing disorders course in consecutive academic years (n = 50). Students in the experimental group participated in a simulation experience in which they performed a CSE on an HPS, generated a treatment plan, and communicated in real time with the HPS, the patient’s wife, and a nurse. Quantitative results included quizzes that measured short-and long-term CSE knowledge, and qualitative findings included written feedback from instructors and students. Results: Students who participated in simulation training had significantly higher long-term quiz accuracy than the control group, but their short-term quiz scores did not differ. Student ratings of preparedness and anxiety did not differ between the two groups. Many students reported that they appreciated practicing the use of patient-friendly language and preferred clinical simulation over traditional teaching methods. Facilitators reported that simulation increased student engagement and critical thinking skills more than traditional teaching methods. Conclusions: CSE simulation provided objective and subjective advantages over traditional teaching methods. Recommendations from students and instructors for improving the CSE simulation training are reported.
AB - Purpose: Clinical swallow evaluation (CSE) is a critical skill that speech-language pathologists who manage swallowing impairment must learn. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to determine if using a human patient simulator (HPS) to train speech-language pathology graduate students in CSE improved knowledge, preparedness, and anxiety as compared to traditional instruction alone. Method: This was a controlled trial with repeated measures. Participants included graduate students from two cohorts who were enrolled in a swallowing disorders course in consecutive academic years (n = 50). Students in the experimental group participated in a simulation experience in which they performed a CSE on an HPS, generated a treatment plan, and communicated in real time with the HPS, the patient’s wife, and a nurse. Quantitative results included quizzes that measured short-and long-term CSE knowledge, and qualitative findings included written feedback from instructors and students. Results: Students who participated in simulation training had significantly higher long-term quiz accuracy than the control group, but their short-term quiz scores did not differ. Student ratings of preparedness and anxiety did not differ between the two groups. Many students reported that they appreciated practicing the use of patient-friendly language and preferred clinical simulation over traditional teaching methods. Facilitators reported that simulation increased student engagement and critical thinking skills more than traditional teaching methods. Conclusions: CSE simulation provided objective and subjective advantages over traditional teaching methods. Recommendations from students and instructors for improving the CSE simulation training are reported.
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U2 - 10.1044/2020_AJSLP-20-00240
DO - 10.1044/2020_AJSLP-20-00240
M3 - Article
C2 - 33705671
AN - SCOPUS:85103608435
SN - 1058-0360
VL - 30
SP - 673
EP - 686
JO - American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
JF - American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
IS - 2
ER -