Impact of an On-going Pandemic: Influence of Wearing a Mask on Therapist Communication

Research Objectives: To investigate the impact of provider mask wearing on communication during wheelchair education.

Design: A voluntary survey designed by physical therapists and speech language pathologist to question perceived impact of mask wearing on communication and communication strategies.

Setting: Urban nonprofit rehabilitation hospital

Participants: Sixty-six physical and occupational therapists from inpatient, outpatient, and day rehabilitation participated.

Interventions: Not Applicable

Main Outcome Measures: Clinician perceived impact per survey response.

Results: Clinicians identified that mask wearing impacted communication at least some of the time as it relates to clarity (80.3%), efficiency (78%), and ability to establish rapport (60.6%). Clinicians reported a variety of strategies to limit communication breakdowns, at least some of the time repeating statements (84.8%), raising their voice (78.8%), increasing patient proximity (78.8%), using nonverbal cues (75.8%), conducting sessions in an alternative location (68.2%) using pictures or video supports (47.0%), and using written communication (40.9%). Clinicians would like further training in printed resources (68.2%), ways to integrate communication tools (51.5%), nonverbal communication techniques (31.8%), and vocal hygiene strategies (30.3%).

Conclusions: Results indicate clinicians used a variety of communication strategies to reduce communication breakdowns while wearing a mask. Clinicians reported their communication remained effective for wheelchair education activities, though multiple strategies were utilized to minimize the impact. Staff identified additional training and resources necessary to support effective patient-provider communication while wearing a mask.

Author(s) Disclosures: There are no conflicts to disclose by the authors.