Background Sudden speechlessness is common in critically ill patients with airway intubation or head and neck cancer surgery. Sudden inability to speak poses significant challenges for hospitalized patients as strategies to facilitate communication are often limited and unreliable. Technology- based communication interventions have the potential to facilitate the communication process of hospitalized patients experiencing health events resulting in sudden speechlessness. Methods A quasi-experimental, 4-cohort (control and intervention) repeated measures design was used, with data points occurring daily up to 10 days. The study was conducted in adult critical care units and participants were followed as they were transferred to other units within institutions selected for the study. The impact of a technology-based communication system (intervention) in comparison with a control group (Usual care + Urgent Button) was evaluated. Patient communication outcomes pertinent to communication with nursing staff evaluated in this study included: perception of communication ease, satisfaction with methods used for communication, and frustration with communication. Results A comparison of the intervention and control group indicates that subjects in the intervention group reported lower mean frustration levels (-2.68, SE=0.17; 95% CI -3.02 to -2.34, p=<0.001), and a higher mean satisfaction level (0.59, SE=0.16; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.91; p<0.0001) with use of the communication intervention. Consistent increase of perception of communication ease over the hospital stay was reported by subjects in the intervention group. Conclusions This study facilitated the evaluation of a bedside technology-based communication intervention tailored to the needs of critically ill suddenly speechless patients.

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Sudden speechlessness (SS) is commonly experienced by patients admitted to critical care units. Although literature findings document challenges associated with periods of SS, the prevalence is unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and characteristics of adult SS patients in four critical care units at a university-affiliated tertiary care hospital. Data are collected on 9 randomly selected days over a 4-month period. The daily prevalence of SS ranges from 16% to 24% in each unit. Characteristic data collected includes patient age, gender, medical diagnosis related to SS episode, type of speechlessness, days since SS began, and communication strategies in use. Respiratory intubation related to various clinical diagnoses is the main cause for SS. Use of multiple specific strategies to convey needs during SS periods are identified. Follow-up studies to further define the prevalence of SS in settings beyond the critical care environment are recommended.