Representation of Potential Communication Items in Medical Settings: An Intervention Note

Abstract

Current augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices require individuals in medical settings to spell, locate symbols or phrases, or use non-verbal communication to express health and personal information to family and medical staff. The purpose of this initial investigation was to examine the type (personal, family, staff, procedural, or health status), form or representation and frequency of items that could be used to represent communication content for people in inpatient rehabilitation settings. Results revealed that potential communication items within the personal or procedural categories were consistently represented in participants’ rooms. Information related to medical staff was the least consistently represented and appeared to change frequently. The use of items to support the communication of patients with unmet communication needs is discussed.

Keywords::

• Medical
• Communication
• Augmentative and alternative communication
• Rehabilitation

Acknowledgments

This project was funded in part by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Communication Enhancement (AAC-RERC) under grant #H133E080011 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). The authors wish to thank the patients in the Rehabilitation Center and Long-term Care Hospital within the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital for their support of this investigation.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Appendix A

Morning (AM) = RED PEN

Evening (PM) = BLUE PEN

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