Student perspectives of simulated learning to improve their dysphagia management.
Skye N Adams, Kelly-Ann Kater, Jaishika Seedat
PMID 39354797WHAT IT FOUND
After a timed dysphagia simulation with mannequin, feedback and role play, third-year speech-language therapy students reported feeling more confident and better prepared.
They also said it should be used alongside real patient exposure, not instead of it.
Key findings
01Students' overall questionnaire scores changed significantly after the simulation (p = 0.026), and six of eight items changed significantly.
02Students reported increased confidence and described the simulation lab as an adjunct to real-life exposure.
03The study did not assess students' actual dysphagia competence or whether skills transferred to real clinical settings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Sixteen students were studied, from 26 eligible, so the findings are limited to one third-year cohort at one university. There was no control group, so the change cannot be separated from time, lectures, placement or feedback. Outcomes were self-reported confidence and preparedness; actual dysphagia competence was not assessed. Long-term retention and transfer to real clinical settings were not measured. The pre- and post-questionnaires were not formally validated. The mannequin could not show facial weakness, drooling or pocketing, and the lab did not replicate hospital noise, interruptions or unstructured patient responses. One-to-one supervision and immediate feedback were provided, which may not be feasible in many training settings.
Declared interests
The authors reported no financial support for the research, authorship or publication of this article.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the mannequin alone improves dysphagia competence. The training also included orientation, timed assessment tasks, role play and immediate feedback, and the study did not assess actual competence or use a control group.