Dysphagia management in the trenches: Top Ten List

Coffee BreakDysphagia CafeJune 6, 2013

SLPs working in the trenches, this is for you.

How do I know if I am working in the trenches?

1. Does it take you >10 minutes to find a clean spoon?
2. Oral care suction attachments considered a luxury item?
3. You are the “transport team” for Video Fluoroscopic Swallow Studies
4. You are the “lift team” to get the patient to the gurney to transport him to radiology
5. Your blue dye is left over blueberries
6. Trachs do not downsize, patients self-decannulate
7. You buy your own tongue blades at CVS
8. No visual difference between Puree and Regular Solids
9. Your name is “Swallow” (Well…that’s everywhere, I suppose)
10. Ice chips are ice cubes

Well, no one is in the perfect clinical situation. However, I salute those amazing clinicians who are creative and innovative enough to manage your dysphagia patients minus “the extras.”

I look forward to dedicating future posts on how to navigate Dysphagia management while working in the trenches.

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Dysphagia Café’s mission is to be a quality, consistent, reliable and easily accessible resource community for every dysphagia clinician worldwide. This is achieved by generating and promoting original evidence based content by global leaders in dysphagia research and practice.