Speech Pathology and Audiology Commons^™

Professional Competencies For E-Helpers: A Telepractice Resource, Hannah M. Schlaak

Theses and Dissertations--Communication Sciences and Disorders

The primary purpose of this study was to craft and validate a set of core competencies necessary for an e-Helper to possess. A review of the literature guided the creation of the initial competencies. Following expert review, the competencies were revised and formatted into an online survey which was sent to respondents in four target groups: (a) school administrators who had adopted telepractice as a service delivery model; (b) SLPs experienced in telepractice within a school setting; (c) current e-Helpers, and (d) scholars experienced in telepractice. Sixty percent (21 out of 35) of the competencies were rated as “important” by …

Delirium Reduction Strategies For The Critically Ill, June Chaves, Sam Canonico, Will Cheney, Tammy Corey, Gil Fraser, Alex Kowalewski, Jen Low, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Haley Pelletier, Cathy Palleschi, Stephen Tyzik, Suneela Nayak, Ruth Hanselman

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Delirium, an acute and fluctuating disturbance of consciousness and cognition, is a common manifestation of acute brain dysfunction in critically ill patients. Patients with delirium have longer hospital stays and a lower 6-month survival rate than do patients without delirium. Preliminary research suggests that delirium may be associated with cognitive impairment that persists months to years after discharge.

In a large acute care hospital, the cardiac intensive care staff became interested in mitigating their unit’s high delirium rate of ventilated patients. At baseline, many members of the healthcare team did not believe that delirium could be prevented and the predominant …

Musical Ear Syndrome: What Do We Know?, Cara D. Pestel

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to review the existing literature regarding Musical Ear Syndrome and other related auditory hallucinations. While the existence of auditory hallucinations is evident, their cause is unclear and widely understudied. There was a need for existing information to be compiled for use in the healthcare field. This review of existing literature will aid speech-language pathologists, audiologists, nurses, psychologists, and physicians in understanding this condition and what differentiates it from other various disorders. This will allow these professionals to better understand the experiences and needs of those with Musical Ear Syndrome.

Communicative Behaviors Elicited By Leisure Activities In Memory Care Units, Tarynn Clune

Honors Projects

A wide variety of leisure activities used in reminiscence care have been studied for their merits in terms of preventing cognitive decline, and increasing quality of life; however, little is known about what different types have to offer in terms of communicative opportunities. Communication with peers is imperative for quality of life, and is crucial for maintenance of relationships between the person with dementia (PWD) and their loved ones. As a result of this importance, an exploration of communication elicited by different activities facilitated in a unit was conducted. The communication explored in this study was solely vocal, and included …

Using The Assessment Process To Improve Evidence-Based Information Gathering Skills For Future Audiologists, Mickel Paris, Jiong Hu, Veronica Koo, Susanna Marshall, Gabriella Musacchia

University Libraries Librarian and Staff Articles and Papers

Success of students in Doctor of Audiology programs depends on the ability of the learner to find and evaluate scholarly evidence. The objective of this study is to determine if an information literacy training session on evidence-based information gathering will increase four student measures: (1) Attitudes toward gathering and evaluating scholarly evidence, (2) Knowledge about evidence-base information gathering practices, (3) Perceived value of the training regarding evidence-based searching methods, and (4) Ability to gather evidence for clinical research questions. 23 first-year audiology doctoral students (AuD) at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco participated in this study. Pre- and …

Patient-Reported Variables Associated With The Success Of Behavioral Intervention For Patients With Chronic Cough, Bridget Loomis

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Purpose: To determine if patient-related variables exist that can potentially discriminate patients with refractory chronic cough (RCC) that are reasonable candidates for behavioral cough therapy (BCT). This study is a small sub-set of a larger, ongoing study, which aims to create and validate a screening tool that primary care physicians can use in order to refer patients early and appropriately for medical or behavioral intervention.

Methods: In this prospective, exploratory study, 20 adult participants, aged 29-68 years of age, answered a bank of questions developed by an expert panel, and the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), before and after BCT. Questions …

Training Hospital Readiness In Speech-Language Pathology Students Through Simulation, Anna Miles, Selena Donaldson, Philippa Friary

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Simulated learning environments allow students to develop technical and clinical decision-making skills in a safe and realistic setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate speech-language pathology students’ perception of hospital readiness following a one-day simulation-based training day on swallowing management. Nineteen students attended the training day. Training included part-task skill learning and immersive simulated scenarios. Students were asked to complete course evaluation forms and participated in focus groups immediately after the day. Seven students participated in a further focus group after a five-week hospital placement within a month of the training day. Four students participated in a focus …

The Role Of Speech-Language Pathologists In Swallowing Treatment Of Individuals With Hiv/Aids, Sarah Lynn Warner

Online Theses and Dissertations

The role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the assessment and treatment of dysphagia in individuals living with HIV/AIDS is relatively absent from the literature. Dysphagia is described as difficulty swallowing that can be caused by oral indicators, structural dysfunction, and neurological disease (Bladon & Ross, 2007; Bobba et al., 2007; Nkuize et al., 2010). Dysphagia is a prevalent symptom secondary to the HIV/AIDS virus, yet dysphagia in the HIV/AIDS population often goes untreated (Bladon & Ross, 2007). One way to improve assessment and treatment of dysphagia is to ensure medical professionals are knowledgeable of the communication and swallowing disorders that …