Vision and deaf awareness training is it app.ropriate?

Title <br/>Visual and deaf awareness training is it app.ropriate <br/>Purpose<br/>Some of our most vulnerable patients have a sensory deficit. An app which focused on patients with a vision and/or hearing loss was developed for healthcare students. The intent was to embed the core values necessary for students to provide appropriate care for patients with a sensory deficit.<br/>Setting<br/>Queen’s University Belfast, School of Nursing and Midwifery.<br/>Methods <br/>Stage 1<br/>A review of current sensory awareness training in the United Kingdom<br/>Stage 2<br/>Application for funding<br/>Stage 3<br/>Development of a teaching tool template with the essential aspects required for sensory awareness training<br/>Stage 4<br/>Collaboration with others: Royal National Institute for the Blind, Action on Hearing Loss, Computer technician.<br/>Stage 5<br/>Production and transfer of multimedia outputs onto a software application system.<br/>Stage 6<br/>App Piloted with a sample of lecturers (n=5), undergraduate nursing students (n=20), service users (n=5)<br/>Stage 7<br/>Editing<br/>Stage 8<br/>App made available to all undergraduate nursing students<br/>Stage 9<br/>App evaluation (n=300)<br/><br/><br/><br/>Results<br/>Overall nursing students positively evaluated the app, 100% of students rated the app between good and excellent. Qualitative evidence from service users and practice partnerships was extremely positive:<br/>"At last I feel listened too in respect to my hearing loss and empowered. I don't feel like I am complaining I am actually helping to create something which should benefit staff and all of us with a hearing or vision loss". Patient <br/>“Very insightful into the lives of those with a disability will be so useful in practice as an aid to jog my memory". 1st year nursing student<br/>Conclusion <br/>It is hoped that further evaluation and implementation of the app will show an improved quality to the care delivered to those with a sensory deficit. We believe that by working in partnership with service users we have helped to create an innovative tool that benefits both staff and patients.<br/>Financial disclosure Yes<br/>Funding of £2700 was awarded in 2014 through the Martha McMenamin Memorial Northern Ireland Scholarship. <br/><br/>