Gina Thomas, M.S. CCC-SLP: No financial or non-financial relationships to disclose
Abstract: Many SLPs in rural areas may be severely lacking SLP mentorship or support when it comes to evaluating and treating patients with dysphagia. They may be the only SLP in their building or the only SLP covering multiple buildings in the rural area. This leaves SLPs with lacking mentorship and support with their management of complex dysphagia patients. These patients can also travel in between different hospitals and other medical care facilities receiving significantly differing care for their dysphagia by the SLP at that facility given their lack of continuity of care. I created a dysphagia journal club for my rural area to increase clinician support, mentorship, and create a continuity of care for patients with dysphagia.
Summary of Presentation : This presentation will be focused on the problem of lack of support and mentorship for rural area SLPs working with complex patients with dysphagia, and how this can create poor outcomes for patients. It will also be focused on how creating a dysphagia journal club in rural areas can increase SLP knowledge of EBP, support, mentorship, and create a more cohesive continuum of care for patients with dysphagia.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
Upon completion, participants will be able to list the problems that rural area SLPs face when working with complex dysphagia patients.
Upon completion, participants will be able to recognize why a dysphagia journal club can assist rural are SLPs to provide improved evidence based practice into their management of patients with dysphagia.
Upon completion, participants will be able to create ways to implement a dysphagia journal club if they find this is an area that is lacking in their area.