Disability Types - Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The course is designed to recognize how to communicate effectively with patients who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing. This is important for anyone who communicates with patients including physicians, physician extenders, nurses, technicians, patient access/scheduling, patient relations, emergency room staff, billing, social workers, dietary, etc.

Target Audience

This course is designed for nurse practitioners, nurses, and other health care professionals who seek improved quality of care for the patients.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Identify approaches to communication with patients who are Deaf or HOH.
  • Describe the process of obtaining an ASL interpreter (either in person or via VRI).
  • Describe how to place an Audiology consult.
  • Identify some key features of Deaf culture and the Deaf community and explain how those factors might affect health care.
  • Categorize and discern the methods for providing effective communication.
  • Find the apps on the Effective Communication iPads that would be useful for patients with hearing disabilities.
  • Apply their knowledge to caring with patients who are Deaf or HOH.
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
01/26/2023
Course expires: 
01/26/2026
Part of: 
UPMC Disabilities Resources Center Training

Planning Committee:
Ashli Molinero, DSc - Director, UPMC Disabilities Resource Center at UPMC

Course Directors:
Kaitlin A Kerr, RN, MSN - Clinical Educator for Disability Awareness - Disabilities Resources Center at UPMC

Conflict of Interest Disclosure:
No planners, members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose.

In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Nursing (CNE)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hours.

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 1.00 Attendance
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