Everyone's Got Something To Say
This summer, Bennie seniors Emily Kieke and Lauren Dueland used their critical and creative thinking skills to overcome barriers and improve communication for patients. At first, “We kept seeing patients … who had language barriers,” says Emily. So they asked questions, discovered an app called Marti that the hospital uses for online interpreters, and gave it a try with a Spanish-speaking patient. “We went through a generic HELP exercise to see if they were oriented and then we had conversation about their life. … They went home the next day and the charge nurse told me that they were so appreciative of the experience,” Emily says.
When Lauren worked with a patient who had undergone a tracheotomy, she not only determined that white boards would be helpful, she arranged a grant from Saint Ben’s to purchase them. “It’s not exactly high technology,” she laughs, “but it helped bridge a barrier!”
