Hi

I am trying to do some research to see how many OT's out there are doing ANY sort of swallow treatment or evaluations and, if so, in what setting? I work at a medium sized acute hospital setting and we are trying to coordinate with the SLP staff to provide backup when they are short staffed to do some bedside swallow assessments. Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

I have worked in SNF, hospital acute, inpatient rehab, and am currently practicing in home health. In all settings when I have had a SLP to refer to for swallowing issues that is what I have done. However, when there is no SLP, I will do "bedside" swallow evaluations and interventions as needed.

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Karen Burge, MA, OTR/L

Yes, I routinely do bedside swallow evaluations at several nursing facilities and I do conduct treatment.  I had the speech therapy dysphagia class at my local college but the manual available through AOTA has the same information.  It is an excellent resource.  I have also informally been mentored with at least 3 OTR's and 2 SLP's.  It is good to mentor with someone at first if you haven't done any evals or treatments before.  I also worked with developmental disabled individuals on dysphagia regarding sensory integrative techniques and other oral moter facilitation/compensation techniques as well as positioning previous to taking the class on dysphagia.  I have worked as an OTR for about 20 years.  When I first started there were few SLP's working in dysphagia in my area.  I think both OTR's and SLP's bring a unique perspectives and different strengths to dysphagia treatment. There is alot of art to dysphagia treatment.  I hope this is helpful to you.

I am working in a LTC/SNF facility in Hawaii.  I worked 10 years in MA and always had a SLP to handle dysphagia issues.  But at this facility it is expected of the OTR.  I have had to take the initiative to teach myself as much as possible, I had no mentor as I am the only OT at the facility.  Any recommendations for home-study courses would be greatly appreciated. 

Mahalo,
Judy.

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Judy