Deaf-led Deaf Awareness Training in the Emergency Department: A Pre-Post Evaluation of Staff Knowledge, Confidence, and Communication Preparedness.

INTRODUCTION

Communication access is essential for safe emergency care, but D/deaf patients (D/deaf used here to include people identifying as culturally Deaf and those with audiological difference) frequently experience barriers that limit their ability to participate in decision-making. Emergency clinicians often lack formal training in Deaf cultural and linguistic needs, interpreter use, and visually accessible communication strategies. This study evaluated whether a brief deaf awareness training session could improve emergency department staff's self-rated knowledge and confidence in caring for D/deaf patients.

METHODS

This study used a 1-group pre-post survey design. A total of 36 emergency department staff members completed matched surveys immediately before and immediately after a single 30-minute Deaf-led training session. Surveys included 5-point Likert items assessing self-rated knowledge, confidence, and preparedness. Of note, 7 prespecified paired items were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and a summed composite score (range 7-35) was analyzed using a paired t test. Additional analyses examined differences in composite scores by experience, sex, and cultural background and assessed whether experience level moderated the change from pre- to posttraining.

RESULTS

All 7 outcomes improved after training (all P < .001). Median responses increased from 1-2 at baseline to 4-5 after the training. The composite score increased from a mean of 13.0 to 32.0 (mean change, +19.0). Improvements were consistent across experience, sex, and cultural background categories at posttraining (all P ≥ .25 for posttraining group differences). Most participants (97%) wanted further Deaf culture education, and 100% supported integrating the training into routine staff development.

DISCUSSION: Deaf-led deaf awareness training was associated with statistically significant improvements in ED staff's self-rated knowledge, confidence, and preparedness to care for D/deaf patients. Findings suggest that brief Deaf community-led education is a feasible and scalable strategy for strengthening staff-reported capacity to provide accessible communication in emergency care. NOTE: Terminology: In this paper, Deaf refers to culturally Deaf Auslan users, and deaf to those with audiological difference who may or may not use Auslan as their preferred communication method; D/deaf is used where both groups are included.