Using an OSCE to assess the potential for assistive technology to enhance communication between student pharmacists and simulated patients who are deaf/hard of hearing.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the usefulness of assistive technology in health care interactions between student pharmacists and simulated patients who are deaf/hard of hearing and to assess changes in confidence and comfort levels (among both groups) when using assistive technology. METHODS: Forty-nine second-year student pharmacists were enrolled in a pharmacy communication laboratory course and 8 undergraduate students were recruited during Fall 2019. The first communication laboratory interaction consisted of student pharmacists using their normal mode of communication with role-played patients who are deaf/hard of hearing to establish baseline measures; a pretest survey was administered to each participant at the conclusion of this 10-minute laboratory interaction. In the second laboratory interaction, student pharmacists used the app to assist in communicating with the simulated patients who are deaf/hard of hearing. Posttests were administered at the conclusion of this laboratory interaction. RESULTS: Most student pharmacists and simulated patients who are deaf/hard of hearing reported feeling able to effectively communicate their needs to the other individual in their dyad (pharmacist or patient) during their health care interactions. Using an iPad (Apple Inc) app to communicate significantly increased student pharmacist and simulated patient comfort with health care communication from preintervention to postintervention. CONCLUSION: The use of assistive technology in simulated communication laboratory interactions can enhance student pharmacist comfort in health care interactions with patients who are deaf/hard of hearing.