Is elderspeak communication in simulated hospital dementia care congruent to communication in actual patient care? A mixed‐methods pilot study
Authors: Shaw Clarissa A. , Knox Katie , Bair Heather , Watkinson Erica , Weeks Delaney , Jackson Lainie 
Published: May 2024

Aims

Simulation offers a feasible modality to prepare nurses for challenges communicating with patients with dementia. Elderspeak communication is speech that sounds like baby talk and can lead to rejection of care by patients with dementia. However, it is unknown if simulation can be used to capture elderspeak communication in dementia care. The purpose of this mixed‐methods study was to determine if simulation accurately captures elderspeak communication by nursing staff in hospital dementia care.

Design

A 3‐part mixed‐methods design in which (1) three dementia care simulations were designed and validated by a panel of experts, (2) communication by nursing staff completing each simulation was quantitatively compared to communication during actual patient care, and (3) views on the realism were explored using within‐ and across‐case coding.

Methods

Three simulations using different modalities (manikin, role‐play, and standardised patient) were designed and validated with eight experts using the Lynn Method. Ten nursing staff were audio‐recorded and their communication was coded for elderspeak communication. Results for each simulation were compared using Wilcoxon signed‐rank test to recordings taken during actual dementia care encounters. Debriefings were coded for realism and results were converged.

Results

The average time using elderspeak during naturalistic care was 29.9% (SD = 20.9%) which did not differ from the average amount of elderspeak used across the three simulations modalities which ranged from 29.1% to 30.4%. Qualitative results suggested a lack of realism with the manikin condition and the nursing staff indicated preference for the simulation with the standardised patient.

Conclusions

Communication elicited in the dementia care simulations was congruent to communication produced in actual dementia care but preference was for the standardised patient.

Implications for Patient Care

Elderspeak communication can be accurately produced in the simulated environment which indicates that simulation is a valid method for person‐centred communication training in nursing staff.

Impact

Simulation offers a feasible modality to prepare nurses for challenges communicating with patients with dementia. Elderspeak communication is speech that sounds like baby talk and can lead to rejection of care by patients with dementia. However, it is unknown if simulation can be used to capture elderspeak communication in dementia care.

Elderspeak communication captured in the simulated environment was congruent to communication nursing staff use during actual patient care to hospitalised persons living with dementia.

This study empirically identifies that communication is elicited in similar patterns by nursing staff in the simulated environment compared to the naturalistic care environment which demonstrates that simulation can be used as a valid tool for education and research on person‐centred communication.

Reporting Methods

STROBE.

Patient or Public Contribution

No Patient or Public Contribution.