Swallow Screening Tool
SBAR
Situation
The UC Health system has agreed to standardize the RN bedside swallow screen. The current UCH swallow screen tool is not evidence-based practice or validated The new evidence-based swallow screen will go live in Epic on 11/2/13.
Background
In the PACU, swallow screens are commonly required for patients undergoing neurological surgeries or for patients with a history of dysphagia. Furthermore, a swallow screen on stroke patients is a Joint Commission requirement and must be performed prior to any oral administration. The current tool was written by UCH Speech-Language-Pathologists for RN use at the bedside. For the Epic roll outs at our system hospitals, the stroke coordinators collaborated to develop consistent orders and documentation associated with stroke. During collaboration, the stroke coordinators decided to adopt a consistent swallow screen (the Emergency Physician Swallow Screen) to be used system wide.
Assessment
All PACU RNs need to be educated on using the new swallow screening tool. Even though the tool is primarily used for stroke patients, it is available to all nurses to administer for various reasons.
Recommendation
Use the tools provided by JoAnn DelMonte, RN-BC, MSN (Director of Professional Resources) to roll out education on the new swallow screen prior to 11/2/13.
See below for two articles on the new swallow screening tool as a reference.
The UC Health system has agreed to standardize the RN bedside swallow screen. The current UCH swallow screen tool is not evidence-based practice or validated The new evidence-based swallow screen will go live in Epic on 11/2/13.
Background
In the PACU, swallow screens are commonly required for patients undergoing neurological surgeries or for patients with a history of dysphagia. Furthermore, a swallow screen on stroke patients is a Joint Commission requirement and must be performed prior to any oral administration. The current tool was written by UCH Speech-Language-Pathologists for RN use at the bedside. For the Epic roll outs at our system hospitals, the stroke coordinators collaborated to develop consistent orders and documentation associated with stroke. During collaboration, the stroke coordinators decided to adopt a consistent swallow screen (the Emergency Physician Swallow Screen) to be used system wide.
Assessment
All PACU RNs need to be educated on using the new swallow screening tool. Even though the tool is primarily used for stroke patients, it is available to all nurses to administer for various reasons.
Recommendation
Use the tools provided by JoAnn DelMonte, RN-BC, MSN (Director of Professional Resources) to roll out education on the new swallow screen prior to 11/2/13.
See below for two articles on the new swallow screening tool as a reference.
Swallowing Screens After Acute Stroke | |
File Size: | 1704 kb |
File Type: |
A Feasibility Study of the Sensitivity of Emergency Physician Dysphagia Screening in Acute Stroke Patients | |
File Size: | 392 kb |
File Type: |
Click for Swallow Screening Tool Education