Strategies for hospital staff

Speech pathologists should provide hospital staff with individualised communication strategies that are tailored to enhance communication with each patient with aphasia. 

Reference: N/A
NHMRC level of Evidence: GPP

Rationale: Providing communication training to health care providers is likely to improve the ability of people with aphasia to understand information and participate in health care decision-making making (Legg, Young, & Bryer, 2005; Simmons-Mackie et al., 2010). Acute stroke inpatients with communication disabilities (including aphasia) need knowledgeable and skilled health care providers in order to communicate as effectively as possible (O'Halloran et al., 2012). Appropriate communication strategies need to be identified in order to support the patient and his/her health care providers. The Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care (The Canadian Stroke Strategy, 2010) recommend that all care providers working with persons with stroke across the continuum of care should be trained about aphasia. This includes training about the impact of aphasia and methods to support communication.

References:

1. Legg, C., Young, L., & Bryer, A. (2005). Training sixth-year medical students in obtaining case-history information from adults with aphasia. Aphasiology, 19(6), 559-575. doi: 10.1080/02687030544000029
2. O'Halloran, R., Grohn, B., & Worrall, L. (2012). Environmental factors that influence communication for patients with a communication disability in acute hospital stroke units: a qualitative metasynthesis. Archives of Physical and Medical Rehabiliation, 93(1 Suppl), S77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.06.039
3. The Canadian Stroke Strategy. (2010). Canadian Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Care.  Ottawa, Ontario Canada: Canadian Stroke Network
4. Simmons-Mackie, N., Raymer, A., Armstrong, E., Holland, A., & Cherney, L., R. (2010). Communication partner training in aphasia: a systematic review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabiliation, 91(12), 1814-1837.