Elements of a Comprehensive Clinical Dysphagia Evaluation (WEB15313)
Total run time: 4 hours, 41 minutes
SLPs face the challenge of collecting and sifting through the vast amount of information about every client to ensure they are conducting an appropriate and comprehensive evaluation of a patient with a suspected swallowing disorder. This course describes the elements of a complete clinical dysphagia evaluation – from consultation to instrumental exam – so clinicians can determine the appropriate evaluation tools for the individual patient. Presenter Joseph Murray covers the key points to address in a consultation, how to discern the salient parts of a medical record, how to conduct an informative interview with the patient or caregiver, how to determine what tests and tools to employ in the clinical examination – and how to conduct it – and when to employ instrumentation.
Learning Outcome
You will be able to:
- identify decision making junctions during the history-taking session that trigger additional questions and actions
- list the salient entries in the medical record that reveal function and dysfunction
- identify clinical findings that necessitate further instrumental assessment
- compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of laryngoscopy vs. videofluoroscopy as an instrumental assessment
Contents
- The Consultation
- Shaping the Evaluation
- Aging and Frailty
- Talking to Your Patient
- The Clinical Swallowing Examination
- Integrating Findings
- Choosing the Instrumental Examination
- Three Interview Examples
“This course gave me so much new information on how to treat my clients better. I can now adopt a more holistic approach when examining my patients, and I am much more aware of the potential warning signs. The interviews with real-life patients were invaluable”—Alicia Thompson, CCC-SLP
Alicia Thompson, CCC-SLP talks about what she learned:
Related Courses
This course is part of the Fundamentals of Dysphagia learning path.
This learning path is designed for clinicians who are new to the area of swallowing disorders—as well as experienced clinicians who want a refresher. Taken together, these courses provide a comprehensive overview of dysphagia assessment and treatment.
What is a learning path? A learning path is a curated set of courses on an essential topic, designed for you to take in order—or in whatever order you wish—as you have time in your schedule. Our learning paths identify sets of key courses so you can get on your way to mastering particular areas of practice according to your needs, priorities, and interests.
Presenter Information
Joseph Murray, PhD, CCC-SLP, is the chief of the Audiology Speech Pathology Service for the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and is an ASHA Fellow. His research and publications are in the area of assessment, treatment, and management of patients with dysphagia. He is the author of Manual of Dysphagia Assessment in Adults and has provided numerous workshops, seminars, and invited lectures in North and South America, Australia, and Europe.
Financial Disclosures:
- Received financial compensation from ASHA for this presentation
- Chief of the Audiology Speech Pathology Service for the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
Nonfinancial Disclosures:
- ASHA Fellow
Assessment Type
Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.
To earn continuing education credit, you must complete the learning assessment by the end date below.
Program History and CE Information
Content origination date: September 25, 2015
End date: May 27, 2024
This course is offered for 0.45 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area).