Team Name
Listen Up
Project Focus
Covid is brought to light many challenges surrounding communication, particularly while donning masks, which is now more prevalent than ever. However, with or without covid, nurses will often still be in PPE when in isolation rooms so this issue isn't going away. Our hearing-impaired patients and community members often rely on lip-reading. Masks impose extra challenges for this population. Can we put our heads together to find better ways to communicate while wearing masks? Speaking louder, enunciating, or moving our mouths' slowly will not help. This is an opportunity to make an impact that will last far beyond this pandemic. Of course sign language is an excellent tool but how many of us speak sign language? I don't, but I am certainly inspired to learn it. Come join me, and let's make some noise!
Technology Overview
Considering a microphone mask attachment which connects to a voice to text app. Patient will be able to then see when you are saying on the TV in their room, or an iPad if their rooms don't have TVs.
Members
- Elyse
- Mary
- Jose
- Jacob
- Odelee
- Pam
Solution Details
Technology aimed to improve care through effective communication with the hearing-impaired population. Masks take away their ability to lip read and cause muffled sounds (the feedback is extra unpleasant when wearing hearing aids). And face shields bend sound waves. All of this creates challenges particularly for hearing-impaired patients. We as care providers do not all speak sign language and translators are not available at all times, for every interaction. This technology would greatly improve care. We want our patients to feel seen and heard, not isolated as a consequence of mask wearing.