Patients who suffer stroke and need screening for swallowing difficulties?!
Question: I know the Speech and Language therapists assess those who fail the screening but who conducts the screening in the first place?
Answers: I know the Speech and Language therapists assess those who fail the screening but who conducts the screening in the first place?
In my experience, normally the healthcare professional who looks after them - often a nurse or HCA on a ward will identify a potential problem, then after discussion with a doctor will refer to speach and language therapists.
Some hospitals have a screening tool which nurses can use - trying thickened fluids or yoghurt first, before referral to speach and language.
In my experience, as a nurse, if you have any doubt, you discuss it with the patients doctor, then the patient is normally put nil-by-mouth until the SALT team assess them. Some sort of fluid would be given, either by intravenous line, or nasogastric tube until a person was assessed as safe to eat.
If there is any doubt, it is better that someone is Nil-by-mouth until a SALT assessment - the risk of aspiration pneumonia is too great otherwise.
During my nurse training, I was not taught how to effectively test someone's swallow - this is a specialist area, which must be done by those who are trained appropriately.
It should be part of the admissions assessment--done by a doctor or nurse.