Is Strict NPO doing more harm than good? Explore the ethical and clinical dilemma of dysphagia management. Learn about muscle atrophy, dry mouth, oral care, and alternatives to NPO status.

Dysphagia research has gaps, but for SLPs, this is an opportunity, not a dead end. Explore the knowns—from essential oral care and swallowing exercises to the necessity of instrumental assessments (MBSS/FEES)—and the many unknowns in dysphagia management. Learn how to stay curious, collaborate, and creatively push the boundaries of evidence-based practice when the research is lacking.

Transform your dysphagia practice. Learn why videofluoroscopy (VFSS/MBSS), demands standardized scoring (PAS, DIGEST, MBSImP) and advanced kinematic tools to overcome diagnostic gaps. This article details how moving beyond the 'practiced eye' and advocating for clinical standards elevates VFSS from an experienced guess to a truly objective, indispensable diagnostic tool for SLPs.

When a 70-year-old patient has acute dysphagia, is a feeding tube the only choice? Read more to discover the high-stakes clinical dilemma of differentiating reversible, acute dysphagia (caused by sepsis/delirium) from long-term deficits. Learn the "Chicken or the Egg" principle and why resisting fear-based decisions saved this patient's independence.

Aspiration doesn't always mean NPO. Learn to distinguish harmless micro-aspiration from true pathological risk by analyzing patient factors like COPD, mobility, and cognition. Stop the fear. Read more!

As an SLP, what do you do when traditional rehab goals (restore, recover) no longer apply? This article tackles the most difficult ethical dilemma in end of life care. Learn the crucial difference between Hospice, Palliative Care, and Rehabilitation. Discover how to shift your focus from sustaining life to honoring it by using an evidence-based, palliative approach to swallowing and nutrition. Master the communication tools needed to guide families toward comfort, dignity, and making choices that truly align with the patient’s final wishes.

Essentialist SLP: Stop Over-Treating Dysphagia. Learn to cut through the clinical chaos and complex protocols to focus on the 'vital few' interventions that truly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. This deep dive challenges the efficacy of thickened liquids and examines the ethical use of feeding tubes in complex cases like late-stage Alzheimer's.

Transitional Foods (TFs): Safely bridge patients off puree diets. Learn how SLPs can use high-dissolving solids (like crackers and crisps) to improve compliance, quality of life, and re-teach chewing skills for adults with dysphagia, without increasing aspiration risk. Discover the evidence and the IDDSI test to safely transition your patients.

Unsure when a patient's oxygen support (high flow nasal cannula, BiPAP, Venturi mask) makes swallowing unsafe? This essential guide breaks down how flow rate and FiO2 affect breathing-swallowing coordination and aspiration risk. Learn the key factors to confidently decide on PO status.

When 'everyone is responsible' for patient care tasks like oral hygiene, no one is. Learn how the powerful Bystander Effect creates dangerous gaps in healthcare accountability, leading to missed vital care. Discover practical strategies for healthcare professionals, including SLPs, to overcome the diffusion of responsibility and improve patient safety.

Is "NPO except for medications" a safe recommendation? This article dives into the complex clinical reasoning for dysphagia management, weighing aspiration risks against urgent medical needs and advocating for a collaborative, patient-centered approach.

Maximize your clinical impact as a speech pathologist. Discover how applying the principle of leverage—small inputs for asymmetrical outputs—can transform dysphagia management, improve patient outcomes, and bring your practice to excellence.

Co-written with Dr. James Coyle PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, ASHA Fellow, challenges common misconceptions about aspiration in dysphagia. It advocates for moving beyond the "aspirator" label and fear-based practices like unnecessary NPO recommendations. The article provides a nuanced look at using the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) correctly, redefines aspiration as a risk factor to be managed rather than a sole diagnosis, and promotes a patient-centered, rehabilitative approach over restrictive measures. This resource is essential for clinicians seeking to enhance their understanding of swallowing function and provide more effective, compassionate care.

Explore how interdisciplinary teamwork and effective communication, inspired by Dale Carnegie, can prevent medical errors and improve patient outcomes. Learn from a real-life case of a 78-year-old with dysphagia, stroke, and COPD, and discover strategies for building rapport and ensuring patient safety in complex medical scenarios

As a Med SLP, do you know the "thick and dirty" on mucus management? This guide unpacks why misbehaving mucus can pose serious health risks for dysphagia patients and how SLPs can lead a collaborative, evidence-based approach to improve swallowing.

Ending feeding tube dependence is a huge step, but is the patient getting enough nutrition afterward? Learn why careful monitoring is vital and how a systematic approach can prevent malnutrition and ensure a safe, successful return to oral eating.

Have you ever felt like you're constantly trying to piece together a puzzle, but half the pieces are missing, and the other half belong to a different box entirely? Or perhaps you're pulling on one end of a rope, and other interdisciplinary team members (IDT) are pulling on the other, creating tug-of-war instead of a cohesive effort? This isn't just a feeling; it's the reality of working in a healthcare system fractured by 'silos.' Discover how this invisible maze is causing real problems for patients – and what we, as Med SLPs, can do to help them find their way out. You might be surprised at the true cost of our disconnected healthcare world.

Dysphagia and dehydration go hand in hand. Especially when thickened liquids come into the mix. Learn why dehydration is a silent epidemic in the elderly, explore fluid-dense foods, and understand the Dehydration Risk Appraisal Checklist (DRAC). Featuring insights from Kathy Panther of the Frazier Institute, this article provides SLPs and caregivers with actionable tips to improve hydration, reduce aspiration risk, and enhance patient well-being.

Discover how SLPs can revolutionize patient care using lessons from James Dyson's approach to innovation, challenging the status quo for better outcomes beyond the feeding tube.

That "I've got this" vibe we sometimes project? It might be the ghost of TV doctors past. This article explores how medical dramas can create unrealistic expectations in our SLP work and offers a powerful antidote: humility, patience, and genuine connection.