Imagine You Wake Up On a Ventilator and Can't Speak!

Website

http://www.patientprovidercommunication.org/

Overview of Idea

Hospital patients who have urgent needs and concerns are frequently unable to communicate with bedside providers due to communication impairments. My goal is to use technology for good - to help those experiencing communication challenges to express their needs to hospital personnel.

The Specifics: How will you use $2,500 to fuel social change through technology?

Patients need to communicate phrases to express general needs, such as, “I’m hungry,” or “I’m feeling sick;” as well as more specific needs, such as, “I’m having trouble with this food, can I have it changed?” or “Please explain the test results to me." Fortunately, technological devices exist, which can help those with either temporary or permanent communication challenges, let hospital staff know their most basic needs.

I would use the $2,500 to purchase augmentative and alternative communication devices and will implement their use in the hospital that I work at, benefiting patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke and those in the acute care setting. The difference it will make will encourage others to use similar methods.

Discussion

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