Patient Stories

A 28-year-old patient with underlying comorbidities was admitted to the hospital in respiratory distress. Per hospital policy, staff followed escalated precautions while testing was underway to rule out COVID-19 due to negative flu, RSV, and other primary lab results. Due to BiPap presence, shortness of breath, and weakness, a consult was placed to the speech-language pathologist to support bedside communication. In the context of heightened COVID-19 precautions, consultation had to take place on the other side of a glass door. 

By writing back and forth, the SLP and nurse communicated about the patient's current status, abilities, and needs. The nurse was provided with a variety of pre-made communication tools (e.g., a letter board), which were successfully used by the patient. She also identified a variety of messages to include on a customized communication board. 

Since the patient had gestured a desire to write, a writing tablet was also provided. Upon receiving the writing tablet, the patient's first message read, "Am I going to die?" Her mother and the bedside nurse were then able to assure her, comfort her, and attend to wants, needs, and questions. 

As the patient's respiratory status worsened, she was orally intubated and needed to use the communication boards much more frequently. Instructions on the back of each communication board, describing how to assist the patient in selecting a message using partner-assisted scanning, allowed nurses to feel confident and comfortable in their implementation of strategies at the bedside across shifts.