• Claire A Collins.
• Speech and Language Therapy Department, Our Lady's Hospice & Care Services, Dublin, Ireland.
• Palliat Med. 2022 Jan 1; 36 (1): 171-180.

BackgroundSpeech and language therapy in palliative care is a developing discipline of clinical practice. Research literature has highlighted that undergraduate palliative care education in speech and language therapy is inconsistent and inadequate. However, limited research has been carried out to date in relation to student speech and language therapists and palliative care.AimTo explore the role of speech and language therapists in palliative care from the perspective of speech and language therapy students in Ireland.DesignA qualitative descriptive research study was conducted, involving focus group interviews.Setting/ParticipantsPurposive sampling was used to recruit 12 student speech and language therapists from one university site for this study. Undergraduate second, third and fourth year students were eligible for inclusion.ResultsThis study revealed that undergraduate student speech and language therapists collectively agree that there is a role for speech and language therapy in palliative care. Although students acknowledged that speech and language therapists can make a positive difference to patients' lives, and academic lectures were positively received, insufficient exposure to palliative care has resulted in fear, uncertainty and a lack of confidence amongst student speech and language therapists.ConclusionsA greater emphasis on palliative care is needed in undergraduate speech and language therapy education to ensure confidence and competency development. An exploration of student speech and language therapists' experiences in a specialist palliative care unit would be advantageous to determine the appropriateness of this setting for clinical placements.

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