VidaTalk™ patient communication application "opened up" communication between nonvocal ICU patients and their family.
Ji Won Shin, Mary Beth Happ, Judith A Tate
PMID 34127362WHAT IT FOUND
Family members of nonvocal ICU patients said a tablet with a speech-generating app, added to standard hospital tablet apps, opened two-way conversation, helped patients express needs and feelings, and made talk less difficult.
Weakness or sedation often stopped use.
Key findings
01Family members said the VidaTalk app opened communication and allowed clearer, two-way dialogue with the mechanically ventilated patient.
02Most family members described communication as less difficult after using the app, compared with guessing from mouthed words, gestures, or air writing.
03App use depended on patient condition; weak or sedated patients could not use it, and families often combined it with gestures, lip-reading, or writing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study interviewed only seven family members, so it describes their experiences, not how well the app works. Data saturation was not achieved, and the sample was limited by the parent trial. Only family members in the intervention group were interviewed, so there was no qualitative comparison with standard care. The app was given alongside standard tablet apps, so its separate contribution cannot be known from these interviews. The study was done at one university hospital, so other ICU settings may differ. Some family members declined or were lost to follow-up, and those who did not take part may have had different experiences. Email interviews lacked face-to-face cues, although they allowed time for reflection.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude VidaTalk alone improved patient or family outcomes. It was used on a tablet that also had the hospital's standard MyChart Bedside app and simple games, and these interviews included only seven intervention-group family members without saturation.