Aphasia simulation: A perspective from the student and standardized patient

Suzanne Moineau, California State University San Marcos, Deb Bennett, Alison Scheer-Cohen, California State University San Marcos, California State University San Marcos
2018 Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders  
Cover Page Footnote Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge Laura Coca, M.A., CCC-SLP and Kristen Nahrstedt, M.A., CCC-SLP for assisting with supervision, in addition to providing insights and reflections of the simulation experiences. The authors also wish to thank the Cohort 7 graduate students and standardized patients. Materials for the high-fidelity manikin simulation were generously provided by the CSUSM School of Nursing. This report of applying sotl in the csd classroom is
more » ... available in Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/tlcsd/vol2/iss1/6 Clinical experiences in speech-language pathology (SLP) are essential for students to develop clinical competencies prior to graduation. Students' clinical skills are developed through active participation, observation, self-evaluation, and feedback in real world workplaces (Hill, Davidson, McAllister, Wright, & Theodoros, 2014). In the past few years high quality traditional clinical placements in medical facilities have become a challenge for SLP graduate programs to obtain due to new working practices, changes in the healthcare structure, financial constraints, and staff shortages (Read, 2014). Simulation is a well-known teaching-learning method that attempts to duplicate real life experiences in an artificial environment ). It has been used across professions, including but not limited to military, aviation, economics, teacher education, medicine, nursing, and SLP. According to Gaba ( 2004), simulation is a "technique not technology-to replace or amplify real experiences with guided experiences that evoke or replicate substantial aspects of the real world in a full interactive manner" (p. i2). Simulated clinical learning environments are being implemented to provide a safe clinical experience where students are provided the opportunity to practice interprofessional and clinical reasoning skills, while fostering an increase in self-confidence and autonomy, without potential risk to a live patient (Read, 2014). The use of standardized patients has become the common simulated clinical learning environment in the United Kingdom, where students in the health sciences are learning about the complexities of providing care to individuals (Read, 2014). Simulation methodology started utilizing low-fidelity manikins and has evolved at an extraordinary pace, using high-fidelity manikins and standardized patients (actors) (Levitt-Jones & Lapkin, 2014). Simulation-based training has been implemented in medicine and nursing for many years. However, simulation-based training is a relatively new methodology for SLP programs (Miles, Friary, Jackson, Sekula, & Braakhuis, 2016). As simulation has proven an effective instructional methodology in academic educational settings for healthcare fields (Hill, et al., 2010; Zraick, Allen, & Johnson, 2003), and the demand for varied clinical placements in healthcare settings (e.g., hospital; private practice; skilled nursing facility) continues to rise (Dudding, 2015), the Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) revised Standard V-B to expand the definition of supervised clinical experiences to include simulation (CFCC, 2013). Standard V-B encompasses the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the prevention, assessment, and treatment of normal and disordered communication across the lifespan. The additional implementation language states, "Alternative clinical experiences may include the use of standardized patients and simulation technologies (e.g., standardized patients, virtual patients, digitized manikins, immersive reality, task trainers, computer-based interactive)" (CFCC, 2013). As such, university educators and professional associations are integrating simulated learning environments into the curriculum (MacBean, Theodoros, Davidson, & Hill, 2013) . As the use of simulation for clinical hours is implemented, the field will benefit from research and systematic study in standards of best practice, including design, outcomes and
doi:10.30707/tlcsd2.1moineau fatcat:wa6rwdoyyrfttducss6jggqfw4