Linking the Art of Practice in Head and Neck Cancer Rehabilitation with the Scientists' Art of Research: A case study on reflective practice

Despite the important role that speech-language pathologists (S-LPs) play in laryngeal cancer rehabilitation, there appears to be little training or continuing education for practitioners in this specialized area. This is a particularly demanding area of practice, and practitioners frequently encounter challenging situations with no clear pathway for treatment. Practitioners working in this area frequently appear to use processes of reflection to monitor the outcomes of their professional actions, to determine actions, and to become more skillful in practice. This paper examines how reflective processes may inform clinical decision-making and foster the development of professional practice knowledge for speech rehabilitation of clients who underwent tracheoesophageal (TE) voice restoration following total laryngectomy. A retrospective case study using a reflective practice framework was undertaken. Clinical problems encountered by an S-LP during the postlaryngectomy voice rehabilitation of two patients were analyzed and recorded. The findings suggest that a practitioner's processes of reflection on both general and specific issues of practice are important for advancing professional practice knowledge and for the development of expertise in head and neck cancer rehabilitation.