ICU-Talk, a communication aid for intubated intensive care patients

Abstract

A Multi-disciplinary project staffed by personnel from nursing, computer science and speech and language therapy developed a computer based communication aid called ICU-Talk. This device has been designed specifically for intubated patients in hospital intensive care units. The ICUTalk device was trialled with real patients. This paper reports the challenges faced when developing a device for this patient group and environment. A description of the methods used to produce ICU-Talk and resul~ from the trials will be presented.

Nurses’ Experiences of Communicating With Hospitalized, Suddenly Speechless Patients

“…Even when a device was available, it often did not adequately facilitate communication. Consistent across a series of studies have been findings that available devices are too bulky, difficult to use in terms of time and dexterity, and are not focused on the needs of the SS patient (Fox & Rau, 2001;Happ et al, Kagan, 2005;MacAulay et al, 2002;Miglietta et al, 2004;Rodriguez & Rowe, 2010). Because of these difficulties, emotional responses, and changes in nurse behavior, nurses expressed strong concerns about their ability to render to SS patients the same level of care they provided other patients.…”

Effect of a multi-level intervention on nurse–patient communication in the intensive care unit: Results of the SPEACS trial

“…17 Specific electronic communication devices were tested for use with ICU patients in several pilot feasibility studies. 18–22 Patients initiated communication more often when using electronic devices and ease of communication ratings improved; however, observed patient use of the devices was sparse and inconsistent. 19,21 These studies employed small samples and lacked comparison groups.…”

“…19,21 These studies employed small samples and lacked comparison groups. 18–22 Physical and cognitive fluctuation or deterioration during critical illness, physical restraint use, inconsistency in nurse–patient assignments, and staff lack of knowledge or access to AAC tools are barriers to the widespread use of AAC techniques and devices in the ICU. 14,19,21,23,24 There have been no large scale controlled trial studies of AAC tools in the ICU and no studies have tested the effectiveness of providing nurses with education on communication strategies to use with intubated ICU patients.…”

Communication aid requirements of intensive care unit patients with transient speech loss

“…A user-centred approach to the design and development of AAC devices is therefore critical. While several studies have investigated the feasibility of using AAC devices in the ICU setting (MacAulay et al, 2002;Miglietta et al, 2004;Rodriguez et al, 2012), little work has been published in the literature specifically exploring the needs and requirements of transiently nonvocal intubated patients and their communication partners from electronic AAC devices, in order to guide development of high-tech communication aids.…”

“…MacAulay et al (2002), Miglietta, Bochicchio, and Scalea (2004), and Rodriguez et al Furthermore, use of the tools was reported to have required minimal instruction.…”