SFM-Voice (previously known as Speak for Myself; SFM) was orginally developed by Rebecca Koszalinski, PhD, RN, CRRN, CMSRN, HT(ASCP) for patients who are unable to communicate traditionally when hospitalized in the acute care setting (e.g., tracheostomy, mechanical ventilation, head and neck surgery, trauma, GSW, and/or obstruction) Following her appointment at UTK College of Nursing, an internal grant was awarded in 2016 by the UTK College of Nursing Center for Health Sciences Research. Through collaboration with researchers and scientists in the Health Information Technology & Simulation (HITS) including Dr. Xueping Li in the Tickle College of Engineering and Dr. Sadie Hutson in the College of Nursing, the app was updated to support patient and user recommended information (emergent and acute pain menu items and a male/female body graphic for quick identification of pain location, requests for basic needs such as repositioning, water, or a need to void, and requests to see people, including family members, partners, and spiritual advisors). A free-text section allows patients to create their own menu for specific needs, questions, or requests. The free-text remains and is promoted with use so that patients do not need to scroll for or re-enter their statements. Two engineering graduate students, Nikhil Jagirdar and Predeep Velur Rajashekaran (mentors Drs. Li, Koszalinski, and Singh), entered the app at the Annual IISE Conference and Expo, 2018. SFM-Voice was subsequently awarded 1st place in the Data Analytics & Information Systems Division Mobile App Competition. SFM-Voice has been tested in two distinctly diverse areas of the country. The use of SFM-Voice in acute care settings has demonstrated statistically significant reductions of patient reported symptoms of depression and clinically significant reductions of reports of symptoms of anxiety, over a 48-hour period. SFM-Voice is available across most all platforms as a low-cost, easily-delivered, and user-friendly communication application.
Published:
Communication Needs of Critical Care Patients Who Are Voiceless
Jun 2016, CIN Computers Informatics Nursing
Press:
App gives voice to hospitalized patients with communication issues
– Knoxnews
Innovative computer app could be invaluable tool empowering patients who are voiceless
– News Medical Life Science
Professor Develops App for Patients Who Can’t Speak
– UTK News
The creator of the app Dr. Koszalinski named Johnson and Johnson nurse innovator
