Why learn hand-washing when I want to be a speech pathologist?: A pilot study
Tracks
7
Practice (clinical) education
Professional standards
Student
Supervision
Wellbeing
| Sunday, June 15, 2025 |
| 11:05 AM - 11:15 AM |
| Knowledge Hub | Halls MNO, Ground Level |
Overview
Assoc Professor Deborah James, Jeanette Hirst, Professor Bernice Mathisen and Gavin Austin
Details
⏫ Rapid impact
⏲️ 11.05am - 11.15am
⌛ 10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Intermediate (Some previous learning/working knowledge of topic e.g. treated a few cases)
⏲️ 11.05am - 11.15am
⌛ 10-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Intermediate (Some previous learning/working knowledge of topic e.g. treated a few cases)
Presenter
Assoc Professor Deborah James
Retired And Adjunct Assoc Prof At University Of Southern Queensland
Why learn hand-washing when I want to be a speech pathologist?: A pilot study
11:05 AM - 11:15 AMPresentation summary
Objectives
The objectives of this paper were: (1) to seek first-year, first-trimester undergraduate speech pathology students’ perspectives about an embedded simulated workplace experience (ESWE); and (2) to explore their views of substituting an ESWE for a first-year, semester-one practice education placement.
Methods
The EWSE was a routine Speech Pathology practice task—an oral-motor assessment (OMA)—in a university-based nursing simulation ward. Its design included purposeful attention to Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards and Code of Ethics statements of personal well-being, professional communication and appearance, and compliance with workplace infection control protocols, including hand hygiene. The first-year students who engaged in the ESWE and agreed to participate in the study were the study participants. Students completed a customised, pre-and post 34 Likert-scale question survey.
Results
The students found the ESWE as realistic, offering unique learning not gained in other preparatory tasks. They found that it: contributed to their professional identify development; increased their sense of readiness for practice education placements; and could replace an external observation placement that was not ‘hands on’. They reported: feeling prepared for the ESWE; an enhanced understanding of the Professional Standards, especially relating to compliance with hand-hygiene protocols and how to conduct an OMA.
Conclusion
This study provides promising evidence that this ESWE could replace an external observational practice placement, ceding many advantages. It would reduce pressure on industry for this support. It facilitates including an authentic workplace practice experience within seven weeks of starting a speech pathology program. Early engagement with professional practice has known benefits of building student professional identity and student retention. It removes the need to meet stringent compliance requirements—immunisation and child safety—precluding an external, first-year, trimester-one placement. This also protects students’ and staff well-being, by removing the associated stress of meeting these compliance requirements.
The objectives of this paper were: (1) to seek first-year, first-trimester undergraduate speech pathology students’ perspectives about an embedded simulated workplace experience (ESWE); and (2) to explore their views of substituting an ESWE for a first-year, semester-one practice education placement.
Methods
The EWSE was a routine Speech Pathology practice task—an oral-motor assessment (OMA)—in a university-based nursing simulation ward. Its design included purposeful attention to Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards and Code of Ethics statements of personal well-being, professional communication and appearance, and compliance with workplace infection control protocols, including hand hygiene. The first-year students who engaged in the ESWE and agreed to participate in the study were the study participants. Students completed a customised, pre-and post 34 Likert-scale question survey.
Results
The students found the ESWE as realistic, offering unique learning not gained in other preparatory tasks. They found that it: contributed to their professional identify development; increased their sense of readiness for practice education placements; and could replace an external observation placement that was not ‘hands on’. They reported: feeling prepared for the ESWE; an enhanced understanding of the Professional Standards, especially relating to compliance with hand-hygiene protocols and how to conduct an OMA.
Conclusion
This study provides promising evidence that this ESWE could replace an external observational practice placement, ceding many advantages. It would reduce pressure on industry for this support. It facilitates including an authentic workplace practice experience within seven weeks of starting a speech pathology program. Early engagement with professional practice has known benefits of building student professional identity and student retention. It removes the need to meet stringent compliance requirements—immunisation and child safety—precluding an external, first-year, trimester-one placement. This also protects students’ and staff well-being, by removing the associated stress of meeting these compliance requirements.
Refrences
Cardell, E., & Hill, A. E. (2013). Student-delivered intensive smooth speech programs for adolescents and adults who stutter. Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, 15(2).
Davenport, R., Hewat, S., Ferguson, A., McAllister, S., & Lincoln, M. (2018). Struggle and failure on clinical placement: A critical narrative review. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 53(2), 218-227. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12356
Dudding, C. C., & Nottingham, E. E. (2018). A national survey of simulation use in university programs in communication sciences and disorders. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 27(1), 71-81. doi:10.1044/2017_ajslp-17-0015
Hewat, S., Penman, A., Davidson, B., Baldac, S., Howells, S., Walters, J., . . . Hill, A. E. (2020). A framework to support the development of quality simulation-based learning programmes in speech-language pathology. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 55(2), 287-300. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12515
Hill, A. E., Ward, E., Heard, R., McAllister, S., McCabe, P., Penman, A., . . . Walters, J. (2021). Simulation can replace part of speech-language pathology placement time: A randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 23(1), 92-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2020.1722238
Judd, B., Brentnall, J., Scanlan, J. N., Thomson, K., Blackstock, F., Mandrusiak, A., . . . McAllister, S. (2023). Evaluating allied health students' readiness for placement learning. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 70. https://doi.org/:10.1186/s12909-023-04005-w
Davenport, R., Hewat, S., Ferguson, A., McAllister, S., & Lincoln, M. (2018). Struggle and failure on clinical placement: A critical narrative review. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 53(2), 218-227. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12356
Dudding, C. C., & Nottingham, E. E. (2018). A national survey of simulation use in university programs in communication sciences and disorders. American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 27(1), 71-81. doi:10.1044/2017_ajslp-17-0015
Hewat, S., Penman, A., Davidson, B., Baldac, S., Howells, S., Walters, J., . . . Hill, A. E. (2020). A framework to support the development of quality simulation-based learning programmes in speech-language pathology. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 55(2), 287-300. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12515
Hill, A. E., Ward, E., Heard, R., McAllister, S., McCabe, P., Penman, A., . . . Walters, J. (2021). Simulation can replace part of speech-language pathology placement time: A randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 23(1), 92-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2020.1722238
Judd, B., Brentnall, J., Scanlan, J. N., Thomson, K., Blackstock, F., Mandrusiak, A., . . . McAllister, S. (2023). Evaluating allied health students' readiness for placement learning. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 70. https://doi.org/:10.1186/s12909-023-04005-w
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Dr. Deb James is a retired academic and Adjunct Associate Professor in Speech Pathology at the University of Sothern Queensland. She specialised in children’s communication, speech, and language and worked as a practitioner, educator and researcher. Her research focused on speech and language development, especially children’s productions of polysyllabic words. She worked in governance via memberships of Ministerial Advisory Panels, Directorships of not-for-profit organisations including those providing services for people with disabilities, and as an accreditor of Australian University Speech Pathology programs. Recently, she has been involved in establishing new Speech Pathology programs in Australia at Southern Cross University (Gold Coast campus), Victoria University (Melbourne) and at the University of Southern Queensland. At the latter, her focus has been embedding compassionate care into the curriculum.
Gavin Austin
Why learn hand-washing when I want to be a speech pathologist?: A pilot study
11:05 AM - 11:15 AM**********
Jeanette Hirst
Why learn hand-washing when I want to be a speech pathologist?: A pilot study
11:05 AM - 11:15 AM**********
Professor Bernice Mathisen
Unisq
Why learn hand-washing when I want to be a speech pathologist?: A pilot study
11:05 AM - 11:15 AM**********
Session chair
Dai Pu
Monash University & Little Birds Allied Health
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
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