This investigation contributes to the foundation of ethical research that will better prepare nurses for patient engagement, advance current understanding of informed consent, and allow for future development of solutions. Nurses are at the forefront of patient-provider interactions and they are often presented opportunities to learn about and engage in the informed consent process.
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility and impact of implementing the “study of patient–nurse effectiveness with assisted communication strategies-2” (SPEACS-2); a program to facilitate communication with nonvocal patients.
Study Design:
The plan-do-study-act quality improvement methodology guided the implementation of a modified SPEACS-2 program within a pre and posttest design. The Ease of Communication Scale (ECS) measured patients' communication difficulty, and care processes measured the program's success.
Study Population:
Nurses (N = 385) across 5 intensive care units were trained in SPEACS-2. We assessed 354 nonvocal patients (aged 18–95 years) requiring continued mechanical ventilation after withdrawal of heavy sedation. Patients were evaluated over one 2-week preintervention (n = 163) and two 3-week postintervention periods (n = 128; n = 63). A subsample of intervention patients (n = 204) completed the ECS.
Results:
Ease of Communication Scale scores improved significantly (p = .027) from baseline (mean 25.86 ± 12.2, n = 71) to postintervention period 2 (21.22 ± 12.2, n = 63). Nurses' use of communication techniques and compliance with communication plans of care incrementally increased after training.
Conclusions:
Implementing SPEACS-2 demonstrated positive changes in patients' ease of communication and feasibility of incorporating evidence-based communication strategies into practice.
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