Telecommunication relay services: linking nurses to patients with communication disorders

Area of Science:

• Healthcare technology adoption
• Nursing informatics
• Assistive communication technologies

Background:

• Telecommunication relay services (TRS) are essential for patients with communication disorders.
• Nurses' unfamiliarity with TRS hinders its integration into patient care.
• Effective use of TRS can improve healthcare outcomes for diverse patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance home care nurses' awareness of Telecommunication relay services (TRS).
• To increase nurses' comfort and confidence in utilizing TRS.
• To promote the integration of TRS into routine patient care for individuals with communication impairments.

Main Methods:

• Educational intervention focused on TRS technology and application.
• Surveys assessing nurses' pre- and post-intervention knowledge and attitudes towards TRS.
• Case study analysis of TRS implementation in home care settings.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in nurses' awareness and understanding of TRS functionalities.
• Improved self-reported comfort levels among nurses using TRS for patient communication.
• Observed increase in the utilization of TRS by nurses for patients with communication needs.

Conclusions:

• Targeted education can overcome technology barriers for nurses regarding TRS.
• Enhanced nurse proficiency with TRS can improve healthcare accessibility for communication-disabled patients.
• Promoting TRS use is crucial for equitable and effective home healthcare delivery.