Nurses spend much of their time interacting with patients where they need to be effective and comfortable communicators. They also need to be prepared to engage with patients who communicate in different ways.
For many years I wanted to make a presentation for nurses and others working in medical professions to talk about how frustrating and frightening it can be for their patients who have communication limitations.
During my in-person presentation, nursing students are given the opportunity to directly interact with someone who is non-speaking and uses Alternative and Augmentative Communication, or AAC.
The students understand that it is important for them to be prepared to engage with patients who communicate differently.