Communication partner training for health care professionals in an inpatient rehabilitation setting: A parallel randomised trial.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to determine if the E-Learning Plus communication partner training (CPT) programme is as effective as the Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA) CPT programme in improving healthcare professionals' confidence and knowledge communicating with patients with aphasia.

METHOD

Forty-eight healthcare professionals working in inpatient rehabilitation participated. Participants were randomised to one of the CPT programmes. The three outcome measures were self-rating of confidence, self-rating of knowledge and a test of knowledge of aphasia. Measures were taken pre-, immediately post- and 3-4 months post-training. Data were analysed using mixed between within ANOVAs.

RESULT

Homogeneity of variance was adequate for self-rating of confidence and test of knowledge of aphasia data to continue analysis. There was a statistically significant difference in self-rating of confidence and knowledge of aphasia for both interventions across time. No statistically significant difference was found between the two interventions.

CONCLUSION

Both CPT interventions were associated with an increase in health care professionals' confidence and knowledge of aphasia, but neither programme was superior. As the E-Learning Plus CPT programme is more accessible and sustainable in the Australian healthcare context, further work will continue on this CPT programme.