AWARENESS OF USING AAC DEVICES AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN REDUCING STRESS AMONG TRACHEOSTOMY PATIENTS IN CRITICAL AND ACUTE CARE SETTINGS

Abstract

The ability to communicate well is important in general, but in clinical practice it becomes even more so, especially with tracheostomy patients in acute and critical care settings with significant verbal communication challenges. Although augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies have emerged as transformative tools for bridging this communication gap, the awareness and use of AAC technologies among healthcare professionals remains uneven. This study explores health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors relating to the use of AAC devices and their potential to reduce tracheostomy patients’ emotional distress.

The mixed-method study included a survey of 250 medical professionals and 20 key-informant in-depth interviews from tertiary care hospitals. Quantitative data was assessed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was assessed using thematic analysis. The results show that although 78% of respondents agree that AAC devices are important, only 34% reported regularly using AAC devices because of obstacles such as lack of resources, lack of training, and misinformation on AAC effectiveness. Moreover, the use of AAC devices significantly reduced stress levels among patients, as evidenced by increased caregiver feedback and patient satisfaction scores.

This study emphasizes the need for mandatory AAC training in an attempt to improve the AAC competency of healthcare staff. The suggestions involve pushing interdisciplinary cooperation, instruction on AAC inclusion in educational environment, and improvement of AAC devices that can be used at the bedside of critically ill tracheostomy patients that are accessible and easy to use. These measures may help raise the standard of care in acute settings and improve patient recovery as well.