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ABSTRACT Aim Background Design Methods Results Conclusion To evaluate the impact of using ‘Situation‐Background‐Assessment‐Recommendation’ method (‘SBAR’) in a palliative care setting.Effective handover communication is crucial for patient safety. Standardised communication tools, such as the SBAR method, are recommended to reduce errors and improve care coordination, but their use in palliative care is not investigated.Mixed method study design, adhering to the GRAMMS guideline.From January to October 2021, a SBAR guide tailored for palliative care was developed using the Delphi method and implemented in a Hospice setting. Data on 150 nurse handovers were collected before and after implementation to assess changes in nursing outcomes, including medication errors, adverse events and the identification of psychological and spiritual needs. Nurses' perceptions on the handover process were gathered through a qualitative survey.The SBAR guide significantly improved the handovers quality, reducing medication errors and eliminating adverse events postimplementation. The identification of psychological and spiritual needs increased during postimplementation period. Nurses also reported improved clarity, accuracy and completeness of information during handover.This is the first study to evaluate the impact of SBAR for handover in palliative nursing care. Findings show the added value of using communication tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Family-based caregivers are increasingly important in the management of non-hospitalized lung cancer patients. However, lack of training can negatively impact care including diagnostic errors that can lead to delays in providing appropriate medical treatment. Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is common symptom of lung cancer and requires urgent intervention as well as adequate communication with healthcare professionals (HCPs) to enable appropriate decision-making and improve patient outcomes. Standardized tools such as the Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) tool and its French adaptation SAED, standing for Situation, Antécédent, Évaluation et Demande, are designed to facilitate communication among (HCPs).Additionally, digital interventions, such as serious games, are increasingly used to train HCPs though its use for caregivers has not been studied. This pilot study aims to assess an innovative serious game training using the SAED tool combined with standard instructions on self-efficacy for family-based caregivers of lung cancer patients when facing a simulated situation of ARF. The study also aims to examine caregivers' emotional state, quality of life, satisfaction and knowledge about the SBAR tool. Methods: A monocentric, randomized, controlled, open-label, superiority, parallel-arm trial will be conducted for 18 months with 3 mid-study assessments (NCT05839353). Family caregivers of lung cancer patients will be recruited at the University Hospital Center of Saint Pierre, Reunion Island, France. Participants will be randomized (1:1) into two groups: the experimental group receiving training using the SBAR/SAED tool and standard instructions for managing respiratory distress/dyspnea, and the control group, receiving standard instructions only. The primary outcome will be to determine perceived self-efficacy as measured by the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. Discussion: This study will present a preliminary assessment of training family caregivers in using the SBAR/SAED tool in simulated episodes of ARF in lung cancer patients. Our findings may provide valuable insights into effective training methods for caregivers in critical home care situations and could be widely used for lung cancer management.

The communication skills of specialists in international economic relations determine the ease of overcoming linguistic and cultural boundaries in today’s globalized world. As businesses expand into international markets, the demand for professionals with a high level of language competence, including translation and interpretation skills, is high. The article substantiates that translation competence is an integral part of the professional competence of applicants for economic direction, since integration processes and international cooperation increase the requirements for foreign language proficiency not only in the interpersonal sphere, but also in the economic, especially in the field of international business. In the course of the study, the main key challenges and barriers to effective communication in international business are identified and characterized, namely: cultural differences, language barriers, non-verbal communication signals, technological challenges, time zone differences, cross-cultural misunderstandings, translation and interpretation. Emphasis is placed on translation and interpretation, as it is an important tool for facilitating communication between speakers of different languages. Correct translation and interpretation requires not only knowledge of the language, but also cultural competence, understanding of the context and knowledge of the subject. The authors identify the main areas of application of translation and interpretation in international business, including: legal and regulatory documents; financial reports and market analysis results; marketing and promotional materials for international markets; translation of technical specifications, instructions and documentation for products; diplomatic negotiations, international conferences and diplomatic correspondence on economic issues. Thus, translation is an effective tool for effective communication, cooperation and negotiations in international economic relations. By overcoming language barriers, fostering intercultural understanding, and the exchange of information and ideas, translation plays a vital role in promoting economic cooperation, trade liberalization, and sustainable development on a global scale.

In Japan, exacerbations are underreported compared with other countries, possibly due in part to a failure to recognize them. This study aimed to create a simple chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Exacerbation Recognition Tool (CERT-J) specifically for Japanese patients. Patients ≥40 years with confirmed COPD or asthma-COPD overlap were included. Focus groups were held to identify words and phrases used by patients to describe symptoms associated with an exacerbation, resulting in candidate items being identified. Following cognitive debriefing, the items were refined based on item frequency, level of endorsement and effect of demographic factors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then performed to inform an expert panel’s choice of items to form the new tool. A total of 41 patients were included in the focus groups and nine patients performed the cognitive debrief. Following this, the expert panel identified 26 items for testing in a further 100 patients (mean age 72 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s 54.8% predicted and 1.8 exacerbations in the preceding 12 months). Eleven items were associated with breathlessness or activity limitation and seven of these were the most frequently endorsed. EFA identified four factors, with one (breathlessness) being dominant. The expert panel recommended that the CERT-J should include six items: breathlessness and activity limitation (3 items), cough (1 item) and phlegm (2 items). The final CERT-J should benefit patients with COPD by providing them with an increased understanding and recognition of exacerbations. Clinical Trial Registration: GSK K.K (jRCT1080224526).

Background: The widespread use of intraoperative fluoroscopy in orthopaedic procedures has revolutionised surgical practice. However, there are risks associated with using ionising radiation. Efforts to reduce radiation exposure include low-dose imaging protocols and lead protective equipment. Current communication during fluoroscopic procedures can be inefficient and lead to excessive radiation exposure for patients and staff. Aims: This study aims to implement a communication tool with standardised commands to reduce radiation exposure in an Irish orthopaedic department. Methods: Radiation exposure was evaluated using dose-area product (DAP) measured in uGy/m2. A control group was recorded before implementing the communication tool. Training sessions were conducted and posters of the standardised commands were displayed. Feedback was collected from surgeons and radiographers via surveys. Statistical analysis was performed to compare pre- and post-intervention groups. Results: A total of 673 surgical cases were included over 6 months. The post-intervention group showed a mean reduction in radiation exposure from 59.8 to 36.4 uGy/m2 (p < 0.011). Subset analyses revealed reduced radiation exposure for ORIF of the distal radius, ankle, humerus, and phalanges. Surgeons and radiographers recognised the need for improved communication and expressed willingness to learn the new tool. Conclusions: Implementation of a standardised communication tool effectively reduced patient and staff radiation exposure. It was also believed to have a positive effect on theatre staff morale. Incorporating a universal language tool into training programmes could be beneficial. Surgeons and radiographers provided several suggestions to improve the effectiveness and implementation of this tool into other units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to present a framework for clinicians to use when discussing electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and its association with pre-diabetes. A communication tool was designed using evidence-based strategies from the academic literature. A four-step framework is presented, which includes: step (1) helping patients to understand the association between e-cigarette use and pre-diabetes; step (2) the synergistic health impacts of e-cigarette use and pre-diabetes; step (3) management of diabetes-related lifestyle factors; and step (4) stages of change assessment related to e-cigarette reduction. This communication tool provides support for clinicians to discuss the risk of pre-diabetes associated with e-cigarette use. Moving forward, implementation and evaluation of this model are needed.

Software teams increasingly adopt different tools and communication channels to aid the software collaborative development model and coordinate tasks. Among such resources, software development forums have become widely used by developers. Such environments enable developers to get and share technical information quickly. In line with this trend, GitHub announced GitHub Discussions--a native forum to facilitate collaborative discussions between users and members of communities hosted on the platform. Since GitHub Discussions is a software development forum, it faces challenges similar to those faced by systems used for asynchronous communication, including the problems caused by related posts (duplicated and near-duplicated posts). These related posts can add noise to the platform and compromise project knowledge sharing. Hence, this article addresses the problem of detecting related posts on GitHub Discussions. To achieve this, we propose an approach based on a Sentence-BERT pre-trained general-purpose model: the RD-Detector. We evaluated RD-Detector using data from three communities hosted in GitHub. Our dataset comprises 16,048 discussion posts. Three maintainers and three Software Engineering (SE) researchers manually evaluated the RD-Detector results, achieving 77-100% of precision and 66% of recall. In addition, maintainers pointed out practical applications of the approach, such as providing knowledge to support merging the discussion posts and converting the posts to comments on other related posts. Maintainers can benefit from RD-Detector to address the laborintensive task of manually detecting related posts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In a single‐arm pilot study, we assessed the feasibility and usefulness of an innovative patient‐centered communication tool (UR‐GOAL tool) that addresses aging‐related vulnerabilities, patient values, and prognostic awareness for use in treatment decision making between older adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), their caregivers, and oncologists. Methods Primary feasibility metric was retention rate; >50% was considered feasible. We collected recruitment rate, usefulness, and outcomes including AML knowledge (range 0–14) and perceived efficacy in communicating with oncologists (range 5–25). Due to the pilot nature and small sample size, hypothesis testing was performed at α = 0.10. Results We included 15 patients (mean age 76 years, range 64–88), 12 caregivers, and 5 oncologists; enrollment and retention rates for patients were 84% and 73%, respectively. Patients agreed that the UR‐GOAL tool helped them understand their AML diagnosis and treatment options, communicate with their oncologist, and make more informed decisions. From baseline to post‐intervention, patients and caregivers scored numerically higher on AML knowledge (patients: +0.6, p = 0.22; caregivers: +1.1, p = 0.05) and perceived greater efficacy in communicating with their oncologists (patients: +1.5, p = 0.22; caregivers: +1.2, p = 0.06). Conclusion We demonstrated that it is feasible to incorporate the UR‐GOAL tool into treatment decision making for older patients with AML, their caregivers, and oncologists.

Software teams increasingly adopt different tools and communication channels to aid the software collaborative development model and coordinate tasks. Among such resources, software development forums have become widely used by developers. Such environments enable developers to get and share technical information quickly. In line with this trend, GitHub announced GitHub Discussions—a native forum to facilitate collaborative discussions between users and members of communities hosted on the platform. Since GitHub Discussions is a software development forum, it faces challenges similar to those faced by systems used for asynchronous communication, including the problems caused by related posts (duplicated and near-duplicated posts). These related posts can add noise to the platform and compromise project knowledge sharing. Hence, this article addresses the problem of detecting related posts on GitHub Discussions. To achieve this, we propose an approach based on a Sentence-BERT pre-trained general-purpose model: the RD-Detector. We evaluated RD-Detector using data from three communities hosted in GitHub. Our dataset comprises 16,048 discussion posts. Three maintainers and three Software Engineering (SE) researchers manually evaluated the RD-Detector results, achieving 77–100% of precision and 66% of recall. In addition, maintainers pointed out practical applications of the approach, such as providing knowledge to support merging the discussion posts and converting the posts to comments on other related posts. Maintainers can benefit from RD-Detector to address the labor-intensive task of manually detecting related posts.

Background: Question prompt lists (QPLs) are structured sets of disease‐specific questions, intended to encourage question‐asking by patients and enhance patient‐physician communication. To date, a dysphagia‐specific QPL has not been developed for patients with esophageal dysphagia symptoms. We aim to develop a dysphagia‐specific QPL incorporating both esophageal expert and patient perspectives, applying rigorous methodology. Methods: The QPL content was generated applying a two‐round modified Delphi (RAND/UCLA) method among 11 experts. In round one, experts provided five answers to the prompts: "What general questions should patients ask when being seen for dysphagia?" and "What questions do I not hear patients asking but, given my experience, I believe they should be asking?" In round two, experts rated proposed questions on a 5‐point Likert scale. Responses rated as "essential" or "important", determined by an a priori median threshold of ≥4.0, were accepted for inclusion. Subsequently, 20 patients from Stanford Health Care were enrolled to modify the preliminary QPL, to incorporate their perspectives and opinions. Patients independently rated questions applying the same 5‐point Likert scale. At the end, patients were encouraged to propose additional questions to incorporate into the QPL by open‐endedly asking "Are there questions we didn't ask, that you think we should?" Key Results: Eleven experts participated in both voting rounds. Of 85 questions generated from round one, 60 (70.6%) were accepted for inclusion, meeting a median value of ≥4.0. Questions were combined to reduce redundancy, narrowing down to 44 questions. Questions were categorized into the following six themes: 1. "What is causing my dysphagia?"; 2. "Associated symptoms"; 3. "Testing for dysphagia"; 4. "Lifestyle modifications"; 5. "Treatment for dysphagia"; and 6. "Prognosis". The largest number of questions covered "What is causing my dysphagia" (27.3%). Twenty patients participated and modified the QPL. Of the 44 questions experts agreed were important, only 30 questions (68.2%) were accepted for inclusion. Six patients proposed 10 additional questions and after incorporating the suggested questions, the final dysphagia‐specific QPL created by esophageal experts and modified by patients consisted of 40 questions. Conclusions & Inferences: Incorporating expert and patient perspectives, we developed a dysphagia‐specific QPL to enhance patient‐physician communication. Our study highlights importance of incorporating patient perspective when developing such a communication tool. Further studies will measure the impact of this communication tool on patient engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1979, Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion) has erupted on average two times per year, with 95 % of these eruptions occurring within an uninhabited caldera. However, lava flows have occasionally impacted populated regions on the island, as in 1977 and 1986. Since 2014, an integrated satellite data–driven multinational response to effusive crises has been developed to rapidly assess lava inundation area and flow runout distance. In 2018, this protocol was implemented as a standalone software to provide a lava flow hazard map showing the probability of flow coverage and runouts as a function of discharge rate. Since 2019, the produced short-term hazard map is shared with local civil protection in the first few hours following the start of an eruption to aid in mitigation actions. Multiple exchanges between scientists, the observatory, and civil protection has improved the delivered hazard map, ensuring a common understanding, a product which is of use and usable, and helping to build effective mitigation strategies at Piton de la Fournaise. In this work we illustrate this effective near real-time protocol with case studies and document how the produced short-term hazard map has been tailored to meet the needs of civil protection.

Communication and coordination between primary healthcare professionals and informal caregivers involved in the care for frail older adults is suboptimal and could benefit from interprofessional digital communication tools. Implementation in daily practice however frequently fails. We aim to identify generic barriers and facilitators experienced by healthcare professionals and informal caregivers during implementation of interprofessional communication tools to improve their long-term use. Qualitative content analysis using individual semi-structured interviews was used for evaluating three different digital communication tools used by interprofessional primary care networks for frail older adults by 28 professionals and 10 caregivers. After transcription and open coding, categories and themes were identified. Barriers and facilitators were related to: tool characteristics, context of use, involvement of professionals and caregivers. The tool improved availability, approachability and users' involvement. The large number of digital systems professionals simultaneously use, and different work agreements hampered tool use. The tools facilitated care coordination, and professionals declared to be better informed about patients' current situations. Overall, interprofessional digital communication tools can facilitate communication in networks for primary elderly care. However, integration between digital systems is needed to reduce the number of tools. Organizations and policy makers have an important role in realizing the tools' long-term use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a single‐arm pilot study, we assessed the feasibility and usefulness of an innovative patient‐centered communication tool (UR‐GOAL tool) that addresses aging‐related vulnerabilities, patient values, and prognostic awareness for use in treatment decision making between older adults with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), their caregivers, and oncologists. Methods: Primary feasibility metric was retention rate; >50% was considered feasible. We collected recruitment rate, usefulness, and outcomes including AML knowledge (range 0–14) and perceived efficacy in communicating with oncologists (range 5–25). Due to the pilot nature and small sample size, hypothesis testing was performed at α = 0.10. Results: We included 15 patients (mean age 76 years, range 64–88), 12 caregivers, and 5 oncologists; enrollment and retention rates for patients were 84% and 73%, respectively. Patients agreed that the UR‐GOAL tool helped them understand their AML diagnosis and treatment options, communicate with their oncologist, and make more informed decisions. From baseline to post‐intervention, patients and caregivers scored numerically higher on AML knowledge (patients: +0.6, p = 0.22; caregivers: +1.1, p = 0.05) and perceived greater efficacy in communicating with their oncologists (patients: +1.5, p = 0.22; caregivers: +1.2, p = 0.06). Conclusion: We demonstrated that it is feasible to incorporate the UR‐GOAL tool into treatment decision making for older patients with AML, their caregivers, and oncologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education, training and knowledge have always been a basic prerequisite for social and economic development. Society - economic crises, shocks in the global economy, environmental problems constantly create greater pressure on public budgets. The limited range of available resources of the public sector, the increasing financial requirements of individual sectors such as health care, social affairs, the environment, internal and external security and, on the other hand, the insufficient ability of institutions and departments to objectively formulate their financial needs require a rational and, above all, qualified approach in meeting financial needs and distribution of limited resources. In the crisis conditions of uncertainty, risk, economic imbalance, education, permanent education, practical experience and the resulting knowledge play a major role in the management of not only a private but also a public sector. In addition to being an effective tool, they are also an important external communication tool. The aim of the scientific state is to point out the importance and influence of education and knowledge in managing and achieving economic, social and social effects. The research sample consisted of a basic set of 2922 municipalities, which represents 99.83% of the total number of municipalities in the Slovak Republic. This file was divided into 10 size categories, in which 4 categories of achieved education of local government representatives were determined. Correlational regression analysis was used to analyze the influence of the achieved education of local government management and the economic results of the municipality. In the analysis of dependency in local self-government, the qualification structures of management, the size of the self-government were taken into account as independent variables, and individual performance parameters as dependent variables, namely the economic result per inhabitant as a key parameter. Chi-square test, Fisher's test, Spearman's coefficient were also used in the work. The research results refuted the published knowledge presented in foreign as well as domestic studies, which confirm the positive impact of education on economies. This relationship was not confirmed in the 2922 examined municipalities of the Slovak Republic. The output of the scientific report was to summarize the mutual influences of the pillars of social responsibility, where qualification prerequisites and required competences could contribute or influence the efficiency and responsible management of self-government. Many countries are faced with solving the question of what can and cannot be financed from public budgets and how to effectively use available public resources within individual levels and departments of the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japan, exacerbations are underreported compared with other countries, possibly due in part to a failure to recognize them. This study aimed to create a simple chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Exacerbation Recognition Tool (CERT-J) specifically for Japanese patients. Patients ≥40 years with confirmed COPD or asthma-COPD overlap were included. Focus groups were held to identify words and phrases used by patients to describe symptoms associated with an exacerbation, resulting in candidate items being identified. Following cognitive debriefing, the items were refined based on item frequency, level of endorsement and effect of demographic factors. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then performed to inform an expert panel’s choice of items to form the new tool. A total of 41 patients were included in the focus groups and nine patients performed the cognitive debrief. Following this, the expert panel identified 26 items for testing in a further 100 patients (mean age 72 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s 54.8% predicted and 1.8 exacerbations in the preceding 12 months). Eleven items were associated with breathlessness or activity limitation and seven of these were the most frequently endorsed. EFA identified four factors, with one (breathlessness) being dominant. The expert panel recommended that the CERT-J should include six items: breathlessness and activity limitation (3 items), cough (1 item) and phlegm (2 items). The final CERT-J should benefit patients with COPD by providing them with an increased understanding and recognition of exacerbations. Clinical Trial Registration: GSK K.K (jRCT1080224526). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The intensive care unit (ICU)-ward transfer poses a particularly high-risk period for patients. The period after transfer has been associated with adverse events and additional work for care teams related to miscommunication or omission of information. Standardized handoff processes have been found to reduce communication errors and adverse patient events in other clinical environments but are understudied at the ICU-ward interface. We previously developed an electronic ICU-ward transfer tool, ICU-PAUSE, which embeds the key elements and diagnostic reasoning to facilitate a safe transfer of care at ICU discharge. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the implementation process of the ICU-PAUSE handoff tool across 10 academic medical centers, including the rate of adoption and acceptability, as perceived by clinical care teams. Methods: ICU-PAUSE will be implemented in the medical ICU across 10 academic hospitals, with each site customizing the tool to their institution's needs. Our mixed methods study will include a combination of a chart review, quantitative surveys, and qualitative interviews. After a 90-day implementation period, we will conduct a retrospective chart review to evaluate the rate of uptake of ICU-PAUSE. We will also conduct postimplementation surveys of providers to assess perceptions of the tool and its impact on the frequency of communication errors and adverse events during ICU-ward transfers. Lastly, we will conduct semistructured interviews of faculty stakeholders with subsequent thematic analysis with the goal of identifying benefits and barriers in implementing and using ICU-PAUSE. Results: ICU-PAUSE was piloted in the medical ICU at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the teaching hospital of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, in 2019. As of July 2022, implementation of ICU-PAUSE is ongoing at 6 of 10 participating sites. Our results will be published in 2023. Conclusions: Our process of ICU-PAUSE implementation embeds each step of template design, uptake, and customization in the needs of users and key stakeholders. Here, we introduce our approach to evaluate its acceptability, usability, and impact on communication errors according to the tenets of sociotechnical theory. We anticipate that ICU-PAUSE will offer an effective handoff tool for the ICU-ward transition that can be generalized to other institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migrants underuse screening opportunities for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C despite elevated risk factors for contracting these infections. Language barriers are an often given as reasons for limiting access to services. Translation and communication apps increase communication and overall patient satisfaction in the patient-provider relationship. In the development and adoption of new technology, expectations play an important role. Objective: This study aimed to explore health care professionals' opinions and attitudes regarding their screening practices with migrants and their expectations for a new communication tool that could improve migrants' screening use. Methods: In this qualitative study, a purposive (diverse) sampling method was used to invite doctors and nurses who conduct rapid screening tests with migrants from 4 centers of the French Office of Immigration and Integration in 3 geographic regions of France. Semistructured interviews were conducted to survey their opinions on the rapid testing of migrants, the use of telephone interpreters, the concept of health literacy, and their expectations of a new communication tool that could overcome language barriers and promote rapid screening in the new migrant population. Results: In all, 20 interviews were conducted with 11 doctors and 9 nurses with a median age of 58 (range 25-67) years. Participants favored the integration of an innovative communication tool in the context of rapid screening of migrants. However, there were concerns related to the implementation and added value of the tool while migrants were already reluctant to be screened. Expectations were for a tool that would present information in simplified French or a chosen language but also supports a positive attitude toward screening. Health professionals also expressed the wish that the technology could help with the collection of health data. Conclusions: Feedback from health professionals provides a better understanding of potential formats, characteristics, functions, content, and use of an innovative, digital method to communicate with migrants with limited French proficiency. Findings contribute to the conceptual development of an electronic app and its implementation within the ApiDé study, which aims to validate a digital app to address language barriers to increase the use of screening among migrants with limited French proficiency in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve resource issues on coral reef islands, an understanding of the water cycle is essential. Water resource management is intricately linked to diverse occupational industries and coral reef ecosystems on these islands. To effectively promote sustainable natural resource management, we developed a board game as an environmental education and communication tool for school students and people of all ages. The concept of the game is that "clean water will always be available if it is used properly". The board game was designed based on an island with an underground freshwater lens as its main water resource. Role-playing was used to enhance islander livelihoods such as with vegetable and livestock farming, fishing, and tourism. Players, while working collaboratively, have to use the island's groundwater adequately and conserve it for future generations. The game was developed through a transdisciplinary process in collaboration with scientists, administrative officers, civic groups, and students. Additionally, the board game was tested in diverse communities. In this study, we elaborated on the board game after it was played by students at an elementary school on Tarama Island. We observed that participants learned that cooperation is important for the sustainable use of water resources. Moreover, the participants proposed two methods for cooperation: joint discussion and 'assembly decisions'. The board game has the potential to be used as an effective environmental education tool to promote sustainable water resource management on coral reef islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the experiences and outcomes associated with the use of an autism alert card, developed to assist with the complexities of autism disclosure. A mixed-methods approach was employed, surveying 272 Australian participants, including 136 Autistic adults, 128 parents or caregivers of Autistic children and eight Autistic children. Our research aimed to understand who is using the alert card, in what contexts and the differences in perceptions of the card between Autistic individuals and their parents. Findings indicate that about half of the participants used the card, primarily in public settings such as transport (17%), healthcare (16%) and retail (16%). The card was seen as a valuable tool for facilitating communication, reducing the need for verbal explanations and providing a sense of security. However, challenges were reported, including societal disbelief, patronising attitudes and internalised stigma, highlighting the need for greater public education on autism. Despite these challenges, majority of participants (76.2%) would recommend the card. This research underscores the dual nature of autism alert cards as both beneficial and limited by societal attitudes, emphasising the need for comprehensive training and awareness programmes to maximise their effectiveness.This study looks at how people use and feel about autism alert cards, which help Autistic people communicate their diagnosis/identity. We surveyed 272 Australian people, including 136 Autistic adults, 128 parents of Autistic children and eight Autistic children. About half of the participants used the card after ordering it, mostly in public places such as public transport, healthcare settings and in retail settings. People found the card helpful because it made it easier to explain their needs without having to speak and provided them a sense of security. However, some people treated Autistic people poorly after being shown the card due to a lack of understanding about autism. Many participants felt that more education about autism is needed to improve how people react to the alert card. Despite these challenges, most participants (76.2%) would recommend the alert card to others. This research shows that while autism alert cards can be very helpful, their effectiveness depends on how well other people understand and accept autism. To make these cards work better, we need more training and awareness programmes for the general public and professionals such as doctors or police officers who may interact with Autistic people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shared decision making (SDM) is especially important for older adults with cancer given the risks of over- and undertreatment, uncertainty regarding benefits/harms worsened by research underrepresentation, and individual preferences. We aimed to adapt the Best Case/Worst Case (BC/WC) communication tool, which improves SDM in geriatric surgery, to geriatric oncology. Methods: We conducted focus groups with 40 stakeholders (fourteen older adults with lung cancer, twelve caregivers, fourteen medical oncologists) to elicit perspectives on using the BC/WC tool for geriatric oncology and to identify components needing refinement. During each focus group, participants viewed a BC/WC demonstration video and answered questions modified from the Decision Aid Acceptability Scale. We analyzed transcripts using deductive and inductive thematic analyses. Discussion: Participants believed that the BC/WC tool could help patients understand their cancer care choices, explore tradeoffs and picture potential outcomes, and deliberate about decisions based on their goals, preferences, and values. Oncologists also reported the tool could guide conversations to address points that may frequently be skipped (e.g., alternative options, treatment goals). Participant preferences varied widely regarding discussion of the worst-case scenario and desire for statistical information. Conclusion: The BC/WC tool is a promising strategy that may improve SDM in geriatric oncology and patient understanding of alternative options and treatment goals. Based on participant input, adaptations will include framing cancer care as a series of decisions, eliciting patient preferences and asking permission before offering the worst-case scenario, and selection of the two most relevant options to present if multiple exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective communication between residents (older adults), families, and the healthcare team supports person‐centred care. However, communication breakdowns can occur that can impact care and outcomes. The aim of this paper is to describe a feedback approach to developing a communication tool for residents and families to guide information sharing during care discussions with the healthcare team in long‐term care. Methods: Development of the communication tool included consultation with key stakeholders for their feedback and input. Following initial development of the tool template by our research team, we invited feedback from our study collaborators. Next, individual interviews and a focus group were conducted with family members, followed by individual interviews with selected residents from two long‐term care homes in Ontario, Canada. Participants were asked to provide input and feedback on the tool's content and usability and to share ideas for improving the tool. Content analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Results: Feedback from residents and family included suggestions to enhance the tool's content and use of plain language, and suggestions for potential application of the tool. Conclusion: Feedback highlighted the value of engaging residents and family members in the development of a communication tool. The communication tool offers a structured format to support participation of residents and families in information sharing for care discussions with the healthcare team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The communication between health providers and patients influences the quality of medical care. The Communication Skills Assessment (CAT) is a reliable, validated tool, which was developed to assess interpersonal communication skills between physicians and patients. The purpose of this study was to obtain a Romanian version of the CAT (CAT_Ro), using a controlled and systematic process to translate and cross-culturally adapt the original questionnaire, since there are no validated instruments to assess healthcare professionals’ communication capability in Romania. Methods The study was conducted in two Departments of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology from Bucharest, Romania, using a rigorous scientific methodology for the translation process, according to literature recommendations, implicating conceptual evaluation, semantics, and cultural adaptation, which involved several steps. The updated version was pre-tested in a pilot study, which included 89 outpatients. Results The results showed a narrow range of variability in item interpretation, without differences in patients’ responses according to variables such as age, gender, education, disease type, number of previous visits with the same doctor. Conclusion CAT-Ro is the result of a comprehensive process study. It represents the first translation and cultural adaptation in Romanian of an instrument able to assess the health providers’ communication skills, which was validated in a pilot study and is to be used in more extensive studies with patients from several specialties.

Background: Increasing linguistic diversity has important implications for providers serving limited English proficiency (LEP) populations. LEP patients have decreased understanding, increased risk for adverse events, and lower healthcare satisfaction. Limited interpreting methods affect nurses' ability to provide efficient, culturally competent care. Objective: An interactive communication board was implemented to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of LEP patient communication and increase nurse satisfaction with communication in a pediatric ambulatory surgery center. Methods: A pre-post survey design evaluated the implementation of an interactive communication board. After a 3-month implementation period, post-surveys assessed nurse satisfaction, perception of time required to interpret nursing tasks, and feasibility of the tool. Results: Nurses reported a 64% increase (2.27 ± 0.88 pre; 3.57 ± 0.76 post; p = 0.0007) in satisfaction with the interpretation process and a 43% increase (2.07 ± 0.70 pre; 3.50 ± 0.76 post; p = 0.0001) in their self-perceived ability to communicate with LEP populations post-intervention. Conclusion: Communication boards and similar tools can improve nurse satisfaction and streamline the interpretation process in peri-operative periods. Implications for Nursing: Similar tools could be implemented in other healthcare settings to increase communication efficiency between nurses and LEP populations. Further projects must be conducted to evaluate the experience and efficacy of this tool from the patient/caregiver perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective  SBAR (situation, background, assessment and recommendation) is a structured format for the effective communication of critically relevant information. This tool was developed as a generic template to provide structure to the communication of clinical information between health care providers. Neonatal transport often presents clinically stressful circumstances where concise and accurate information is required to be shared clearly between multidisciplinary health care providers. A modified SBAR communication tool was designed to facilitate structured communication between nonphysician bedside care providers operating from remote sites and physicians providing decision-making support at receiving care facilities. Prospective interventional study was designed to evaluate the reliability of a "SBAR report to physician tool" in sharing clinically relevant information between multidisciplinary care providers on neonatal transport. Study Design  The study was conducted between 2011 and 2014 by a dedicated neonatal transport service based at McMaster Children's Hospital which provides care for approximately 500 infants in Southern Ontario annually. In the preintervention phase, 50 calls were randomly selected for the evaluation and 115 consecutively recorded transport calls following adoption of the reporting tool. The quality of calls prior to and after the intervention was assessed by reviewers independently. Inter-rater agreement was also assessed for both periods. Results  Inter-rater agreement between raters was moderate to perfect in most components of the SBAR "report to the physician tool" except for the assessment component, which showed fair agreement during both preintervention and postintervention periods. There was an improvement in global score (primary outcome) with a mean difference of 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77–1.14; p  < 0.001) and in cumulative score with a mean difference of 8.55 (95% CI: 7.26–9.84; p  < 0.001) in postintervention period. Conclusion  The use of the SBAR report to physician tool improved the quality of clinical information shared between nonphysician members of the neonatal transport team and neonatal transport physicians. Key Points Long-Accurate and concise information sharing is crucial for decision-making in neonatal transport. Information sharing between multidisciplinary teams can be enhanced by using a commonly understood information sharing template. The SBAR report to physician tool improves the quality of information shared between multidisciplinary team members in neonatal transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excellent communication skills among graduates are very crucial for their future and career development. WhatsApp application is seen to have the potential to develop these skills since it has robust functions and features, easy to use, and free. However, there are still issues in implementing this application as a tool in developing communication skills by utilizing this application for educational purposes among UTM students. Hence, this study was aiming to investigate the level of WhatsApp usage in education, the level of communication skills by utilizing WhatsApp for educational purposes among students, and their correlations. Student's perception of using WhatsApp in education was also investigated. This study was based on quantitative research conducted using a survey design, where online questionnaires were distributed randomly among 400 UTM students based on simple random method. Findings showed that there is a high level of WhatsApp usage in education among UTM students and also a high level of communication skills by utilizing this application for educational purposes among UTM students. It was supported by a strong positive linear correlation that existed between these two variables. Students also showed positive perceptions of utilizing WhatsApp in education to develop their communication skills. Therefore, lecturers and students are encouraged to utilize WhatsApp application in education as it can help in fortifying communication skills among students who later become competent graduates that can meet the demand from the industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to improve 5-6-year-children’s language skills through scrambled wordplay in TK Methodist Binjai. This research was conducted because there were problems with the lack of children's language skills in recognizing letters and words. This research was a classroom action research. The subjects in this study were 15 children of B-1 TK Methodist Binjai consisting of 4 boys and 11 girls. The object in this study was the language ability to recognize letters through scrambled wordplay. Data collection techniques were carried out through observation by filling in the observation table of the observed activities. This research was conducted in 2 (two) cycles. The results showed that the activity of playing scrambled words can improve children's language skills in recognizing letters and words. The results of observation in the first cycle obtained 46% of children who developed according to expectations and in the second cycle increased to 67% of children who developed as expected followed by 33% of children who developed very well. This showed that the activity of playing scrambled words to improve children's language skills in recognizing letters and words have been successful.

Background: Family-based caregivers are increasingly important in the management of non-hospitalized lung cancer patients. However, lack of training can negatively impact care including diagnostic errors that can lead to delays in providing appropriate medical treatment. Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is common symptom of lung cancer and requires urgent intervention as well as adequate communication with healthcare professionals (HCPs) to enable appropriate decision-making and improve patient outcomes. Standardized tools such as the Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) tool and its French adaptation SAED, standing for Situation, Antécédent, Évaluation et Demande , are designed to facilitate communication among (HCPs).Additionally, digital interventions, such as serious games, are increasingly used to train HCPs though its use for caregivers has not been studied. This pilot study aims to assess an innovative serious game training using the SAED tool combined with standard instructions on self-efficacy for family-based caregivers of lung cancer patients when facing a simulated situation of ARF. The study also aims to examine caregivers' emotional state, quality of life, satisfaction and knowledge about the SBAR tool., Methods: A monocentric, randomized, controlled, open-label, superiority, parallel-arm trial will be conducted for 18 months with 3 mid-study assessments (NCT05839353). Family caregivers of lung cancer patients will be recruited at the University Hospital Center of Saint Pierre, Reunion Island, France. Participants will be randomized (1:1) into two groups: the experimental group receiving training using the SBAR/SAED tool and standard instructions for managing respiratory distress/dyspnea, and the control group, receiving standard instructions only. The primary outcome will be to determine perceived self-efficacy as measured by the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale., Discussion: This study will present a preliminary assessment of training family caregivers in using the SBAR/SAED tool in simulated episodes of ARF in lung cancer patients. Our findings may provide valuable insights into effective training methods for caregivers in critical home care situations and could be widely used for lung cancer management., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Despite living in a visually saturated world, with visual content permeating seemingly every aspect of our lives, an area in which visuals are still under-represented is health communication. Written health information, including medicines information, has generally been reported as being reader-unfriendly, offering challenges and barriers to even the most literate of readers with its often lengthy, detailed documents, use of medical jargon, and densely packed small text. The inclusion of visual content in the form of pictograms offers the potential to enhance the attractiveness and reader-friendliness of the information as well as improving comprehension and recall of medicines and general health information. This commentary presents the case of pictograms as a valuable tool in medicines information, urging pharmacists to consider their adoption in practice, but also sounding a note of caution when using pictograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how NBA clubs used Twitter as a communication tool to build relationships with their public through a content analysis of 5,561 tweets on their Twitter sites. This study found that sports organizations used multiple Twitter communication tools such as hyperlinks, hashtags, public messages, and retweets, among which hashtags were most frequently utilized. There was a significant association between relationship dimensions and sports organizations' use of communication tools. Furthermore, their use of specific communication tools of Twitter (i.e. public messages and retweets) influenced public engagement. The theoretical and practical implications of this study were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper advances the Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF), a conceptual model of talents that are relevant to stakeholders of work-integrated learning (WIL) programs. The paper is organized into three sections. The first section provides background on the development of the FRTF, including a brief review of talent frameworks and the future of work literature as they relate to WIL. The second section presents the method through which the FRTF was extended and validated. This involved soliciting behavioral examples of talents from WIL stakeholders. The third section of the paper discusses implications of the FRTF for WIL, such as its application to student assessment. It also situates the FRTF in a broader discussion of WIL and the future of work. The goal of the paper is to position the FRTF as a tool that WIL stakeholders can use to create "common ground" as they communicate with each other about talent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The communication between health providers and patients influences the quality of medical care. The Communication Skills Assessment (CAT) is a reliable, validated tool, which was developed to assess interpersonal communication skills between physicians and patients. The purpose of this study was to obtain a Romanian version of the CAT (CAT_Ro), using a controlled and systematic process to translate and cross-culturally adapt the original questionnaire, since there are no validated instruments to assess healthcare professionals' communication capability in Romania.Methods: The study was conducted in two Departments of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology from Bucharest, Romania, using a rigorous scientific methodology for the translation process, according to literature recommendations, implicating conceptual evaluation, semantics, and cultural adaptation, which involved several steps. The updated version was pre-tested in a pilot study, which included 89 outpatients.Results: The results showed a narrow range of variability in item interpretation, without differences in patients' responses according to variables such as age, gender, education, disease type, number of previous visits with the same doctor.Conclusion: CAT-Ro is the result of a comprehensive process study. It represents the first translation and cultural adaptation in Romanian of an instrument able to assess the health providers' communication skills, which was validated in a pilot study and is to be used in more extensive studies with patients from several specialties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information-technological revolution has brought new forms of connections and communication among people. The development of new technologies has led, among other things, to the development of applications, commonly known as social media, which allow people to interact and exchange information in a way impossible twenty or thirty years ago. Bearing in mind the key characteristic of social media - the possibility of two-way communication among a large number of people, the significant role of social media in emergencies is more than evident. In academic literature on social media and emergencies, there is a large number of case studies that examine this relation over the past few years. As the analysis of the existing literature has shown, Twitter is the most dominant social network analysed individually within the context of crisis communication in emergencies. The research has also shown that out of 46 European countries, it has been determined that in 30 countries the institutions in charge of emergencies have accounts on Twitter and Facebook, 18 are present on YouTube and 8 on Instagram. In addition, some research also pointed to the trends in the growing use of social media in emergency management, as well as increased perceptions of the population about such trends. Based on the literature review of the most relevant works, the aim of the paper is to summarize the main findings on the ways in which social media are used in the emergency management by the relevant organizations as well as to present the benefits of using social media within the context of emergencies.

The development and expansion of social media have rapidly changed the interaction and communication of people, thereby attracting attention in an unprecedented scale. This paper reviews the relevant literature on social media to yield a better understanding of how it has transformed the way people communicate, acquire and use information. To elucidate on the goals of this paper, the definition of social media, and its characteristics are presented. Different types of social media are also described, including globally popular platforms based on social media types in the 21st century. Lastly, a brief review of the research on social media was presented to provide a reference for researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acquired brain injuries are one of the main causes of human disability worldwide. It can lead to social isolation due to physical and mental dysfunctions. Studies on using robots in social psychiatry have shown positive results regarding mental function and social behavior among patients facing challenges similar to acquired brain injury (ABI). Aim: To explore how the telepresence avatar robot OriHime can be used as a communication tool between patients at home with mild-to-moderate ABI and members at a rehabilitation center with ABI and to determine whether the telepresence avatar robot OriHime can motivate the patients at home to participate in rehabilitation activities at the rehabilitation center. Method: We conducted an exploratory ethnographic case study, applying the conceptual framework 'community of practice.' The intervention consisted of sessions where ABI patients at home (n = 8) interacted with a member (n = 4) from Aalborg Rehabilitation Club using OriHime. Data collection consisted of documentary materials, participant observation (141 h) and semi-structured interviews (n = 11). The data were analyzed and triangulated in NVivo 12.0. Findings: The patients at home found nonverbal communication valuable, while the members at the rehabilitation center felt that OriHime lacked human features and preferred direct verbal communication. The technology facilitated a feeling of being a part of a community of practice between the participants, and it motivated the patients at home to participate in the rehabilitating activities. One patient visited the rehabilitation center physically. Conclusion: OriHime can as a communication tool motivate and engage patients to participate in rehabilitating activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As a treatment summary (TS) documents information for follow-up care, it is believed to be an important communication tool for the patient, their GP, and other health professionals. The aim of this systematic review (SR) was to evaluate the impact of receiving a TS for cancer survivors when compared to receiving standard care and to identify knowledge gaps to inform future research. Methods: A systematic search of electronic databases and grey literature was undertaken from August 2018 to October 2018. Studies were included if participants (cancer survivors) were over 18 years of age and had received a TS, and if outcomes for TS could be separated from other survivorship interventions. The McMaster Critical Appraisal Tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. A narrative synthesis of the study outcomes was then conducted. Results: Seven studies (one prospective cohort and six cross-sectional studies) met the inclusion criteria. The impact of TS was assessed using widely varied outcomes in these studies. Overall, receipt of a TS was related to greater patient understanding and perception of the quality of care provided. However, caution is required when interpreting these results due to methodological limitations. Conclusions: This systematic review found that TS may have a positive impact on patient understandings about and perceptions of cancer care. However, more robust research including perspectives of cancer survivors is required. Implications for Cancer Survivors: TS could play an important role for cancer survivors especially in terms of knowledge of cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in storytelling in journalism. The objectives of this study are to highlight the main stages in the development of storytelling as a communication tool in journalism. To achieve the proposed goal the following steps will be taken: The context, in which the term "storytelling" is used, will be determined; scientific publications examining storytelling as a communication tool will be analyzed; specific communicative markers of this tool as distinguished by researchers will be demonstrated; and main stages and patterns of storytelling development as a communication tool will be determined. A study of the developmental history of storytelling as a communication tool in journalism led to the conclusion that it can be divided into two main stages. The first is associated with the development of traditional storytelling in print media, radio, and television. The second is the development of digital storytelling. The principles of storytelling development in journalism are its recognition as a communication tool that can achieve both commercial and social goals, the increase and complication of means to influence the audience with new information technologies, and a paradigm shift from broadcasting to involving. Further studies can be conducted through a quantitative and qualitative analysis of research on storytelling in post- Soviet spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]