Authors (including presenting author) :
HO TY (1), LEUNG YW (1)(@), LUI MC (1)(2), LAM F (3)
Affiliation :
(1) Quality & Safety Department, Kowloon West Cluster, (2) KWC Simulation Training Centre, (3) Speech Therapy Department, Kowloon West Cluster
Introduction :
As a vital part of the healthcare team, speech therapists specialize in communication and swallowing disorders. They often work with vulnerable patient populations who may experience acute clinical situations, including choking. Despite their expertise, many therapists lack formal training in emergency response protocols. This gap poses risks not only to patient safety but also to the therapists' confidence in handling such emergencies. Simulation training is introduced to promote speech therapists’ knowledge and skills to handle different clinical situations.
Objectives :
1) To equip therapists with necessary knowledge practical skills in emergency response.
2) To foster a culture of readiness and confidence among speech therapists when faced with clinical emergencies.
3) To improve teamwork and communication among healthcare providers during emergencies.
Methodology :
1. Needs Assessment: Obtained information from focus group to determine the current training gaps including suction technique, choking and basic airway management and response to emergency.
2. Course design: A comprehensive approach with the combination of lecture, hands-on training and interactive scenario simulation with debriefing were incorporated to achieve the above learning needs.
3. Pre- and post-training survey were conducted to evaluate the program and to determine future training directions.
Result & Outcome :
Seventeen speech therapists in KWC cluster joined the program during September and October 2024. Before the course, 94% had never attended simulation training and 71% had no prior training related to basic airway management. Only 1.82 to 3.29 (out of 5) mean scores were obtained for their readiness on performing the skills.
After the training, a significant increase in average score were obtained from the participants which indicated their competencies to perform the skills and handle the emergencies were enhanced. Overall, participants gave a mean score of 4.53 to 4.71 (5-point Likert Scale, 1 & 5 meant “strongly disagree” & “strongly agree” respectively) in all evaluation aspects.
Conclusion:
Most speech therapists had rarely received prior training on common medical emergencies which lower their confident to provide basic response. They reflected that hands-on experience and scenario-based training are very useful. The skills learned are applicable to their work and their competencies on handling clinical emergency were enhanced. They agreed that regular workshop are beneficial to them and suggested different clinical topics to be held afterwards.
