Heightening our vigilance towards patient well-being

Abstract

Objective

Audiology patients frequently experience psychosocial difficulties created by their hearing loss or exacerbated by the loss. Clinicians are not always attuned to the unstated emotional undercurrents which may signal a need for further discussion or referral. This article aims to heighten audiologists’ vigilance towards patient well-being.

Design

A series of case vignettes with sample dialogue demonstrate the need for heightened clinical awareness of confounding consequences patients may grapple with and possible responses to these issues.

Conclusions

Beyond hearing loss, contributing detractors to patient well-being can be difficult to recognise for clinicians, and exploration and discussions may feel challenging to broach. A heightened vigilance within patient care calls upon audiologists to be alert for concerns or conditions beyond hearing loss that may be threatening our patients or further decreasing the quality of their lives and that of their families.

Keywords:

• Patient-care vigilance
• suicidal ideation
• dementia
• marital strife
• self-concept
• elder abuse
• risk assessment

Disclosure statement

The authors have no financial or non-financial conflicts relevant to this article.