What are the areas of professional practice that capture my interest (this might be a disorder, anything relating to treatment or diagnosis, etc.)? With respect to this general topic, what would an essential question for me be? What do I already know about this topic? What don't I know about this topic?

I am fascinated with the adult population. I guess it is because I see how much in need they truly are. These adults have communicated normally before, and now, for whatever the reason, they no longer can. They had jobs, played games with their children, and went to parties with their friends. The sad part is that they realize that they are having problems communicating, and they remember the times when they did not have these difficulties. I also know that they are in great need of good help. I am also really interested in anything neurological, like TBI, dementia, stroke, aphasia, and dysphagia.

There are so many areas that I am interested in, that at this point I can not narrow my focus down to one topic. So, I have attempted to come up with a few from different topics in the hopes that one will be more interesting than another, or better to research than another. Some essential questions for this subject area might be “How can I ensure a smooth transition into the community for a client with a TBI?” Another may be “How can I motivate my adult client?” or “What can be done to help a patient with dysphasia?” “How can I involve a client with dementia’s family into the functional maintenance plan?” or “How can I develop a effective functional maintenance plan for a client with dementia?” Another could be “How can I help my client overcome or compensate for left neglect?” “How can I plan a management program for a client with Global Aphasia?” I already know a little about these areas from Neurogenics, and because of the time I have spent at Health South. I also have grandparents who have had strokes and have dementia and other neurological diseases. It is hard for me to say what I do not know about these areas, because I really do not know anything specific. I do know that after I start researching more I am going to be like WOW, I did not know that. I know that through research, I will discover new things that I had not even considered before.

After some thinking and group discussion, I think that my essential question is “How does dysphagia complicate the recovery of a CVA?” I may have to narrow that even farther after I get into my research. Two possible ways to narrow it are: one to specify to CVA, like “How does dysphagia complicate the recovery of a left CVA?, and other is to specify a certain area to be recovered, like “How does dysphagia complicate the recovery of language functioning after a stroke?”

Well, after some researching, I have decided to change my question. My new question has to do with restoring voice after a laryngectomy. Right now, it is, "How can an artificial larynx restore voice after a laryngectomy?"