Therapy Management

Dysphagia Management

This five hour course is intended to provide clinicians with information regarding dysphagia and management in a skilled nursing facility. The course materials provide background information for dysphagia which includes epidemiology and structures in involved in swallowing. Additionally, materials are presented as evidence-based and oriented to clinical application for screening procedures, skilled assessment and treatment for dysphagia. Clinicians will also be able to reinforce concepts and techniques using evidence-based assessment and treatment strategies.

Seminar Objectives

• Identify basic anatomy and physiology associated with swallow function.
• List the Cranial Nerves and muscle innervations responsible for swallow function.
• Explain the stages of swallowing and list problems which may exist as a result of Dysphagia for each stage of swallowing.
• Define aspiration, silent aspiration and be able to list most common signs/symptoms of Dysphagia.
• Explain the complications associated with Aspiration Pneumonia.
• List chronic disease/conditions which contribute to Dysphagia.
• Define side effect known as Xerostomia and list medications which contribute to issues with oral stage due to dry mouth.
• Identify how saliva plays an essential part of the swallowing process.
• Identify oral conditions which cause concern when evaluating.
• List medications which can lead to issues with swallowing by depressing the Central Nervous System.
• Summarize nursing assessments and documentation to determine prior level of function and document decline in function for documenting medical necessity.
• Explain rationale for completing bedside swallow.
• Name items needed and procedures for bedside swallow evaluation.
• Provide examples of compensatory strategies to assess during evaluation.
• Explain procedures for determining pharyngeal delay.
• Define cervical auscultation and list abnormalities one might hear during cervical auscultation.
• Explain procedures for monitoring oxygen saturation levels using pulse oximetry.
• Explain rationale for ordering and understand procedures Modified Barium Swallow Study.
• Explain the rationale of the Frazier Free Water Protocol.
• Explain the impact of colonization of oral pathogens and contribution to the development of aspiration pneumonia, current evidence based intervention of importance of improving oral hygiene in facility in conjunction with nursing, and list components of a comprehensive oral care protocol.
• Define the recommended criteria for alternative nutrition and hydration.
• Differentiate between the alternative methods which are divided into short-term and long-term.
• Describe procedure and length of use for commonly seen alternative methods.
• Discuss the common complications of tube feeding which may need to be addressed during course of treatment.
• Describe recommended supervisory levels for dysphagia.
• Define commonly utilized techniques and maneuvers which can be implemented to address dysphagia.
• Identify co-treatment strategies between OT and SLP’s.

CEU Hours State OT/OTA PT/PTA SLP FL 5.0 Pending LA 5.0 Pending TX 5.0 Pending MS 5.0 Pending

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