Evaluation of Speak for Myself with Patients Who Are Voiceless

Abstract

Patients who are unable to communicate their needs through conventional methods still want to make their preferences and needs known. Speak for Myself is a new application that facilitates ensuring the patient's voice is heard.

Communicating with conscious and mechanically ventilated critically ill patients: a systematic review

“…Oral tube ( n = 3), tracheostomy ( n = 8), self-maintained ( n = 1) Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) All patients were able to communicate basic needs to nursing staff and family. Positive mean overall impact score (PIADS = 1.30; n = 12, p = 0.004), and in mean scores for each PIADS domain: competence = 1.26, adaptability = 1.60, and self-esteem = 1.02 (all n = 12, p < 0.01) Koszalinski, 2015 [ 52 ] Pilot observational study ( n = 20) – no control group “High-tech” AAC Speak for Myself Computer Pad Software Application Mixed diagnosis. Type of intubation unknown Three open-ended questions that asked if the patient users liked or disliked using Speak for Myself 95 % ( n = 19) stated that Speak for Myself was helpful for communication All but one patient said they would use Speak for Myself if hospitalized again and unable to speak Frustration was less with Speak for Myself (better able to communicate, more in control, more power to make choices) Maringelli, 2013 [ 41 ] Case series ( n = 15) “High-tech” AAC gaze-controlled communication system Mixed diagnosis.…”

“…Of the nurses, 44 % said the ICU-Talk assisted with patient care. The pilot study by Koszalinski et al (2015) [ 52 ] with the Speak for Myself Computer Pad stated that 95 % ( n = 19) thought the device was helpful for communication and it decreased frustration levels. The ‘intelligent’ keyboard of van den Boogaard and van Grunsven (2004) [ 45 ] scored more highly on ease of use (63 %) and satisfaction (88 %) compared with the alphabetical letter board.…”

“…High-tech communication interventions were used by patients who were cognitive able to communicate and follow simple commands [ 19 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 41 , 45 , 51 – 53 ]. In six studies patients needed to have some muscle power to use the device [ 19 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 45 , 52 ]. Gaze-controlled and eye-tracking devices were used in paralyzed or physically limited patients with intact visual acuity [ 41 , 51 , 53 ].…”

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of VidaTalk™ Communication Application in Family Caregivers of Mechanically Ventilated ICU Patients

“…Electronic tablets and mobile communication devices -are becoming more available and common in healthcare settings. Speak for Myself (SFM), an android tablet computer application (app), was developed for nonvocal hospitalized patients by Koszalinski et al (2015). The SFM was developed from the perspective of patients with communication impairment due to cerebral palsy, and it contains various messages including patient's needs, emotions, and requests for certain providers, an analog pain scale, typing features, as well as a text-to-speech generation when the 'speak' button is selected.…”

“…Participants answered four open-ended questions about their experience with the use of SFM at the end of shift or the following day. As a result, 95% (n=19) participants found the SFM helpful for communication (Koszalinski, Tappen, & Viggiano, 2015). Qualitative findings suggested that patients felt less frustrated with the inability to communicate, expressed pain, needs, and preferences more clearly and had greater opportunity to participate in care decisions after receiving the SFM (Koszalinski, Tappen, Hickman, & Melhuish, 2016 (Nilsen et al, 2018).…”