Voice Therapy Pedagogy: Harnessing the Power of Simulation and Standardized Patients

Objectives: The purpose of this project was to investigate the advantages of using simulation and standardized patients (SPs) in teaching Resonant Voice Therapy (RVT) and Vocal Function Exercises (VFE) in a graduate-level course.

Methods: Twenty-one graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders and seven standardized patients (SPs) participated in this experience. SPs were recruited by the DeSales University simulation center and trained by the Voice and Resonance Disorders course instructor (current PI) to imitate patients with voice disorders. Four SPs played the role of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis, and four played the role of patients with vocal fold nodules. Students completed surveys about their knowledge, anxiety, comfort, and other aspects of treating patients with voice disorders before learning the techniques (pre-learn), after learning the techniques (post-learn), and after interacting with the SPs in the simulation center (post-simulation).

Results: Comfort level in interacting with voice patients increased significantly from pre-learn to post-learn and post-simulation. The increase was not significant from post-learn to post-simulation. Anxiety level decreased significantly from pre-learn to post-learn and post-simulation. The “perceived level of knowledge” in theories of phonation, cause/nature of voice problems, and impacts of voice disorders increased from pre-learn to post-learn and post-simulation but not significantly. Other items like assessment, key components, specific techniques, and overall knowledge increased significantly from pre-learn to post-learn and post-simulation. Diagnosis, goals, therapy tasks, individual therapy, preventive education, and modeling also improved significantly from pre-learn to post-learn and post-simulation.

Conclusions: Simulation-based learning decreased graduate students’ anxiety levels in interacting with patients with voice disorders. It also improved comfort level; perceived knowledge of voice assessment, components, techniques, and disorders; diagnosis, goals, tasks, therapy, education, and modeling. The study demonstrates a successful simulation-based learning experience in a graduate Voice and Resonance Disorders course.