Nursing students learn to care for patients with intellectual disabilities

WMAR-2 News

29 Apr 202402:03

Summary

TLDRThe University of Maryland School of Nursing partners with the Special Olympics to educate students on effective interaction with patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Through a pilot program, students engage in role-plays with Special Olympics athletes acting as standardized patients, learning to tailor communication, be patient, and use plain language. This unique training aims to improve future healthcare professionals' approach to IDD patients, with plans to expand the program to other universities.

Takeaways

🤝 The Special Olympics has partnered with the University of Maryland School of Nursing to improve the interaction between medical professionals and patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
📚 The collaboration aims to provide students with practical experience in communicating effectively with IDD patients before they enter their profession.
🕗 The healthcare interview process with IDD patients may take longer than usual, requiring more time and patience from medical professionals.
👥 Students work in groups of 3 or 4 to interact with Special Olympics athletes who act as standardized patients paired with a family member.
🤔 The training includes asking about the patient's condition, social history, alleviating and aggravating factors, and adapting the questioning to the patient's level of understanding.
🔄 Students are encouraged to tailor their communication style to the patient's needs, using common words and avoiding medical jargon.
👁️ The importance of observing both verbal and nonverbal cues from the patient is emphasized to ensure effective communication.
🎓 Third-semester nursing students have reported that this interaction has changed their approach to patient care.
📈 The pilot program is currently being tested, with the Special Olympics considering expanding it to other universities.
🗣 Feedback is provided to students after the simulation to enhance their learning experience.
🏥 The initiative seeks to change the future of interaction between medical, nursing, and social work professionals when caring for people with IDD.

Q & A

What is the collaboration between the Special Olympics and the University of Maryland School of Nursing aimed at?
-The collaboration is aimed at helping students learn the best way to interact with patients who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Why is it important for medical, nursing, and social work professionals to effectively communicate with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)?
-Effective communication is crucial for providing appropriate care and understanding the unique needs and experiences of individuals with IDD, ensuring a more personalized and compassionate approach to their healthcare.
What is the role of the Special Olympics athletes in this training program?
-The Special Olympics athletes serve as standardized patients, paired with an existing patient who plays the role of a family member, to provide students with practical experience in interacting with patients with IDD.
How does the training program differ from a typical healthcare interview?
-The training program involves students interacting with Special Olympics athletes in groups of 3 or 4, focusing on understanding the patient's condition, social history, and factors that alleviate or aggravate their condition, which may take longer than a typical healthcare interview.
What is the significance of the pilot program for the Special Olympics?
-The pilot program is significant as it tests the effectiveness of the training approach and sets the stage for potentially expanding the program to other universities, thereby improving healthcare interactions for people with IDD on a broader scale.
How does the training program address the issue of medical jargon in patient interactions?
-The program encourages students to use common words instead of medical jargon to ensure that patients with IDD can understand and communicate effectively, reducing potential misunderstandings and improving patient care.
What kind of feedback do students receive after the simulation in the training program?
-Students receive feedback on their interactions with the standardized patients, which helps them understand their strengths and areas for improvement in communicating with patients with IDD.
How does the training program benefit the students in their future professional roles?
-The program provides students with practical experience and insights into the needs of patients with IDD, enabling them to develop the necessary skills to communicate effectively and provide compassionate care in their future professional roles.
What is the typical duration of a healthcare interview with a person with anxiety or a disability according to the script?
-The script suggests that healthcare interviews with individuals with anxiety or disabilities may take longer than a few minutes, indicating the need for more time to accommodate their needs.
How do the students adapt their questioning approach during the training program?
-Students learn to tailor their questioning approach to the level of understanding of the person with IDD, being patient and providing space for effective communication.
What does the script imply about the importance of verbal and nonverbal cues in patient interactions?
-The script emphasizes the importance of observing both verbal and nonverbal cues from patients to better understand their conditions and communicate more effectively.

Outlines

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🤝 Collaboration for Inclusive Healthcare Education

The Special Olympics has partnered with the University of Maryland School of Nursing to develop a training program aimed at enhancing the skills of medical, nursing, and social work students in interacting with patients who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The program provides practical experience, allowing students to engage with Special Olympics athletes who act as standardized patients. These athletes are paired with actors playing family members, simulating real-life scenarios that require students to ask comprehensive questions about the patient's condition, social history, and factors affecting their health. The training emphasizes the importance of patience, clear communication, and understanding nonverbal cues. This pilot program is set to potentially expand to other universities, highlighting the need for more inclusive healthcare education.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Special Olympics

The Special Olympics is an international organization that promotes sports and physical activities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the video, they have partnered with the University of Maryland School of Nursing to help students learn how to interact effectively with patients with these disabilities. This collaboration is crucial for training future healthcare professionals to be more empathetic and understanding.

💡Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)

Intellectual and developmental disabilities refer to a range of conditions that affect cognitive abilities and social skills. In the context of the video, these disabilities are central to the training program, as students learn to interact with patients who have them. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding and adapting communication styles to better cater to the needs of these patients.

💡University of Maryland School of Nursing

This is the educational institution involved in the partnership with the Special Olympics. The collaboration aims to enhance the training of nursing students by providing them with practical experience in interacting with patients who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. The school's involvement highlights the importance of integrating such training into academic curriculums.

💡Healthcare Interview

A healthcare interview is a process where medical professionals gather information about a patient's health and medical history. In the video, students engage in mock interviews with athletes from the Special Olympics, simulating real-life scenarios. This exercise is designed to help students understand the unique challenges and needs of patients with IDD, such as the need for more time and patience during these interactions.

💡Standardized Patient

A standardized patient is a person trained to consistently portray a patient with a specific medical condition. In the video, Special Olympics athletes serve as standardized patients, paired with an existing patient playing the role of a family member. This setup allows students to practice their communication and diagnostic skills in a controlled and realistic environment.

💡Social History

Social history is a part of a patient's medical history that includes information about their lifestyle, living conditions, and social interactions. In the training scenario described in the video, students are encouraged to ask about the social history of the standardized patients, which helps them gain a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's health and well-being.

💡Alleviating and Aggravating Factors

These terms refer to factors that either reduce or increase the severity of a patient's symptoms. In the video, students are taught to ask about these factors as part of their interaction with the standardized patients. Understanding these factors is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment planning.

💡Tailoring Communication

Tailoring communication means adjusting the way information is conveyed to suit the needs and understanding of the listener. In the context of the video, students learn to tailor their questions and language to the level of understanding of the patients with IDD. This approach is essential for effective communication and patient care.

💡Verbal and Nonverbal Cues

Verbal and nonverbal cues are signals that provide information about a person's thoughts, feelings, or intentions. In the video, students are encouraged to pay attention to these cues when interacting with patients. This skill is important for understanding the patient's needs and responding appropriately.

💡Medical Jargon

Medical jargon refers to technical terms used in the medical field. The video emphasizes the importance of avoiding medical jargon when communicating with patients with IDD. Instead, students are encouraged to use common words to ensure that the patients understand what is being discussed.

💡Pilot Program

A pilot program is a small-scale version of a project or initiative, used to test its feasibility and effectiveness before a full-scale implementation. In the video, the collaboration between the Special Olympics and the University of Maryland School of Nursing is described as a pilot program. The success of this program could lead to its expansion to other universities.

Highlights

The Special Olympics has partnered with the University of Maryland School of Nursing to train students on interacting with patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The collaboration aims to improve future interactions between medical, nursing, and social work professionals and patients with IDD.

Willie Williams, Special Olympics International Vice President, emphasizes the need for professionals to communicate effectively with people with IDD.

The training provides students with practical experience before entering their profession.

Patients with disabilities may require more time during healthcare interviews compared to typical patients.

Students engage in groups of 3 or 4 with a Special Olympics athlete acting as a standardized patient.

Athletes are paired with an existing patient who plays the role of a family member.

Students are trained to ask about the patient's condition, social history, and factors affecting their health.

Third-semester nursing students report that the interaction has changed their approach to patient care.

Students learn to tailor their questioning to the patient's level of understanding.

The importance of patience and providing space for patients to communicate is highlighted.

Students are encouraged to observe both verbal and nonverbal cues from the patient.

The use of common words instead of medical jargon is recommended for clearer communication.

Students receive feedback after the simulation to improve their skills.

The program is a pilot initiative, with plans to expand to other universities.