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Abstract Background Communication impairment is a frequent consequence of stroke. Patients who cannot articulate their needs respond with frustration and agitation, resulting in poor optimization of post-stroke functions. A key component of patient-centred care is the ability of staff to communicate in a way that allows them to understand the patient’s needs. We developed a patient-centred communication intervention targeting registered and unregulated nursing staff caring for complex continuing care patients with communication impairments post stroke. Research objectives include 1) examining the effects of the intervention on patients’ quality of life, depression, satisfaction with care, and agitation; and (2) examining the extent to which the intervention improves staff’s attitudes and knowledge in caring for patients with communication impairments. The intervention builds on a previous pilot study. Methods/design A quasi-experimental repeated measures non-equivalent control group design in a complex continuing care facility is being used. Patients with a communication impairment post-stroke admitted to the facility are eligible to participate. All staff nurses are eligible. Baseline data are collected from staff and patients. Follow-up will occur at 1 and 3 months post-intervention. Subject recruitment and data collection from 60 patients and 30 staff will take approximately 36 months. The Patient-Centred Communication Intervention consists of three components: (1) development of an individualized patient communication care plan; (2) a one-day workshop focused on communication and behavioural management strategies for nursing staff; and (3) a staff support system. The intervention takes comprehensive patient assessments into account to inform the development of communication and behavioural strategies specifically tailored to each patient. Discussion The Patient-Centred Communication Intervention will provide staff with strategies to facilitate interactions with patients and to minimize agitation associated with considerable stress. The improvement of these interactions will lead to a reduction of agitation, which has the additional significance of increasing patients’ well-being, quality of life, and satisfaction with care. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01654029

Background: Qualitative research methods are still largely untapped, but research has shown that they are appropriate for capturing the complexity of the psychosocial consequences of aphasia. While "single case" research in various guises has been widely utilised, the qualitative case study research design has had quite limited application to the study of aphasia. Aims: The aim of this paper is to outline the characteristics of the qualitative case study research design and to discuss potential applications of this methodology to research of the psychosocial consequences of aphasia. Main Contribution: An overview of the qualitative case study design is presented. The aspects described include case selection, data collection, data analysis, and methods to enhance trustworthiness. Conclusions: It is concluded that qualitative case study research allows the study of complex communication behaviours in context. Its end product is a holistic and intensive description and interpretation of communication. It can answer questions related to how and why communication changes after intervention programmes that address the psychosocial consequences of aphasia. This methodology appears to offer great promise in making significant contributions to the knowledge base and practice of speech-language pathology with adults and families with aphasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]