For more specific swallowing assessments, fiberoptic endoscopy of swallowing (FEES) or videofluoroscopy (VFS) may be used (Gallegos et al., 2017). Most swallow screens use varying volumes of water to assess the ability to swallow (Smithard, 2016). Assessment may begin at the bedside, using a variety of tools. While dysphagia screening by nurses does not replace assessment by other health professionals, it enhances the provision of care to at-risk patients by allowing for early recognition and intervention (Hines et al., 2016 Palli et al., 2017). Conditions that suppress the cough reflex (such as sedation) further increase the risk for aspiration.īEST PRACTICES: ASSESSMENT AND PREVENTION ASSESSMENT: A multidisciplinary approach to identify dysphagic patients is important (Aoki et al., 2016). The older adult with one of these conditions is at even greater risk for aspiration because the dysphagia is superimposed on the slowed swallowing rate associated with normal aging. TARGET POPULATION: Dysphagia is common in persons with neurologic diseases such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia. Dysphagia is a significant predictor of worse clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with dementia (Paranji et al., 2017). Other harmful sequelae of dysphagia include malnutrition and dehydration (Wilmskoetter et al., 2017). In fact, the risk of pneumonia is three times higher in patients with dysphagia (Hebert et al., 2016). WHY: Aspiration (the misdirection of oropharyngeal secretions or gastric contents into the larynx and lower respiratory tract) is common in older adults with dysphagia and can lead to aspiration pneumonia.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |