Effectiveness of Swallowing Care on Safe Oral Intake Using Ultrasound-Based Observation of Residues in the Epiglottis Valley: A Pragmatic, Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

The demand for methods to ensure safe oral consumption of food and liquids in order to prevent aspiration pneumonia has increased over the last decade. This study investigated the safety of swallowing care selected by adding ultrasound-based observation, evaluated its efficacy, and determined effective content of selected swallowing care. The study employed a pragmatic quasi-experimental research design. Participants were 12 community-dwelling adult patients (age: 44–91 years) who had experienced choking within 1 month prior to the study. After the control phase, in which conventional swallowing care was provided, trained nurses provided ultrasound observation-based swallowing care for a minimum period of 2 weeks. Outcome measurements were compared across three points, namely T1—beginning of the control phase, T2 and T3—before and end of the intervention phase. The mean durations of intervention were 30.8 days in the control phase and 36.5 days in the intervention phase. Pneumonia and suffocation did not occur in the control phase or the intervention phase. The safe intake food level and the food intake level score significantly improved during the intervention phase (p = 0.032 and 0.017, respectively) by adding eating training based on the ultrasound observation. However, there was no significant improvement in the strength of the muscle related to swallowing by the selected basic training. Our results suggest that swallowing care selected based on the ultrasound observation, especially eating training, safely improved safe oral intake among community-dwelling adults with swallowing dysfunction.

Detection of poststroke oropharyngeal dysphagia with swallowing screening by ultrasonography

“…Assessments also include differential diagnosis from dysphagia caused by organic causes such as pharyngeal tumors [ 38 – 40 ]. Since US provides an objective assessment of the motion of the hyoid bone and larynx and may help to detect NOD, it may be added to the current swallowing screening test for the more detailed management [ 41 , 42 ] of dysphagic patients.…”

The retention effect of staff education programme: Sustaining a decrease in hospital‐acquired pressure ulcers via culture of care integration

“… 17 Nurses demonstrate that they belong in this category when they foresee and fix problems, prioritise care and competing demands, detect patterns and indications, all the while applying evidence to their assessments and care. 18 , 19 Organisations that support evidence‐based education, quality of care, and strive for improved patient outcomes are more likely to be in alignment with knowledge workers needs and expectations.…”

Comparison of attitudes, awareness, and perceptions regarding oral healthcare between dental and nursing students before and after oral healthcare education

“…The levels of perception of the importance of collaboration with physicians, nurses, and speech-languagehearing therapists in oral healthcare were lower in the dental students than in the nursing students. Physicians and nurses play the main roles in providing healthcare, including oral healthcare for patients in hospitals, older adult patients in long-term care facilities, and community-dwelling older adult patients [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]32]. Furthermore, nurses can also encourage patients to undergo dental treatments and receive care from oral health professionals [33,34].…”

“…In addition, recent studies have reported that oral healthcare is important in the prevention of viral infections, including COVID-19 infection [5][6][7]. Therefore, collaborative oral healthcare among health professionals is also important in preventing these diseases in patients in hospitals, older adults in long-term care facilities, and community dwelling older adults [8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”