Use of the E.M.P.A.T.H.Y. Tool in a Telehealth Simulation to Enhance Professional Communication Skills by Student Physical Therapists: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study will be to describe the phenomenon of enhancing professional communication skills by incorporating the E.M.P.A.T.H.Y. teaching tool developed by Dr. Helen Riess into a telehealth simulation for novice student physical therapists enrolled in a blended program at a private, non-profit higher education academic institution. The theory guiding this study is David A. Kolb’s theory on experiential learning (ELT), as it will promote the development of learning professional communication skills by novice student physical therapists through the incorporation of technology in a non-traditional learning environment. The central research question of the study is: What is the purpose of incorporating the E.M.P.A.T.H.Y. teaching tool into a telehealth simulation for novice student physical therapists?