Knowledge and awareness of assessment and management of dysphagia and the role of speech language pathologists among nurses in kuwait

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that affects one or more of the three swallowing stages: oral, pharyngeal and esophageal. It can result in aspiration, pneumonia, chest infections, malnutrition, and dehydration which raise the risk of death. Early detection and treatment are crucial for recovery during the rehabilitation phase. Nurses are healthcare professionals who work with patients all day. Therefore an interdisciplinary teamwork between nurses and speech language pathologists (SLP) are essential for assessment and management of dysphagia. The present study aims at understanding the knowledge and awareness of the various assessment and rehabilitation techniques of dysphagia and the role of SLPs among the nurses in Kuwait. The results revealed that nurses had a moderate level of awareness and knowledge regarding dysphagia, its assessment and management methods and the importance of a SLP in the same.