The most frequent consequence of a stroke is a communication impairment. When patients cannot articulate their needs, frustration and agitation are frequent responses, often resulting in poor optimization of post-stroke function. Staff's lack of knowledge of communication strategies exacerbates the problem. A key component of patient-centred care is the ability of staff to communicate in such a way that allows them to understand the patient's needs. Members of our team developed the patient-centred communication intervention (PCCI) targeting registered and unregulated staff caring for complex continuing care (CCC) patients with communication impairments post stroke. The purpose of the study is to examine if the PCCI results in improved patients' quality of life and in improved staff attitudes and skills in caring for patients with communication impairments.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
The intervention consists of three parts: 1) development of individualized communication care plans; 2) staff attendance at a workshop focused on communication and behavioral management strategies; and 3) implementation of a staff support system.
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, E.W. Bickle Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life (SAQOL)
The SAQOL is a 39-item tool designed to measure health-related quality of life in patients post-stroke with aphasia.
Time frame: Change in SAQOL from baseline to 1 month and from baseline to 3 months
Communication-Impairment Questionnaire (CIQ)
The Communication Impairment Questionnaire is an 8-item self-report scale. It is used to measure the attitudes of nurses toward patients with communication impairments.
Time frame: Change in CIQ from baseline to 1 month and from baseline to 3 months
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