Enhancing Preparedness: The Role of Simulation in Adult Dysphagia Training for Speech- Language Pathology Students Before Clinical Placement

Enhancing Preparedness: The Role of Simulation in Adult Dysphagia Training for Speech- Language Pathology Students Before Clinical Placement | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Enhancing Preparedness: The Role of Simulation in Adult Dysphagia Training for Speech- Language Pathology Students Before Clinical Placement Kim Coutts This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5794090/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Simulation is an increasingly recognised teaching tool in healthcare education but there is limited evidence on how simulation is incorporated into a speech language pathology (SLP) curriculum using pedagogy and how students learn from a simulation to teach adult dysphagia. This study aimed to evaluate the use of low tech (i.e. simulated patients) simulation in teaching adult dysphagia management to final-year SLP students and to provide evidence for its integration within a resource-limited setting. This study used a qualitative pre-test post test design using questionnaires and self reflections to gather data. This data were analysed using content analysis and it included 8 questionnaires and 15 self-reflections. The results indicated that simulation significantly enhanced students’ skills, knowledge, critical thinking, and empathy while reducing anxiety when on clinical placement. Students reported an improved understanding of patient experiences and the importance of communication in their sessions. The debrief emerged as a critical component, fostering peer learning, safe spaces for reflection, and alignment with learning objectives. This study demonstrates that even low-tech simulation options can be effective in resource-limited contexts, supporting the development of both direct clinical skills and essential soft skills like empathy and understanding patient experiences. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating structured debriefs and creating safe learning environments for students. Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5794090","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":449137899,"identity":"d4e2c7cc-c52b-4532-be15-2302b63f0208","order_by":0,"name":"Kim Coutts","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5UlEQVRIie3OsYvCMBTH8V8J6HApXXMg+i80CDqc4L/yXHTR3akIBV0K/iu6OFcy3BK5taMiON1wLpLhBiNCcUo7OuS7JG/48B7g871hsSq/LAfVITJ9voKjQaA6pouS8Bi11vSaHwQzV8kw0jdxMgmiVc7+jIMMWLgJMq0EF7OdIFIQmiCzCsKC5YOEu4IoBwp7H3cdVpJIXyxJ0LFk/+8g3ZJg2rCEIS4QpK4tMg03+0xPPrNi3Dc0VlzqUcpaDhL/HLZHM/+Kmmt1lmaQtNvfSl1/HeRR/jrYk4JFBfD5fD5fVXcrMEeUEZnpqQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of the Witwatersrand","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kim","middleName":"","lastName":"Coutts","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-01-09 07:23:22","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5794090/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5794090/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":83519096,"identity":"5babde27-1ddb-4786-92c3-0af344f4158d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-27 20:31:26","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":337190,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"EnhancingPreparednessrevised.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5794090/v1_covered_65997d7e-64e4-4d8d-ade3-bd707c4b0c9c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Enhancing Preparedness: The Role of Simulation in Adult Dysphagia Training for Speech- Language Pathology Students Before Clinical Placement","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5794090/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5794090/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Simulation is an increasingly recognised teaching tool in healthcare education but there is limited evidence on how simulation is incorporated into a speech language pathology (SLP) curriculum using pedagogy and how students learn from a simulation to teach adult dysphagia. 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