ABSTRACT
Purpose
To describe the knowledge of healthcare teams about dysphagia, prescription, and administration of oral medications in dysphagic adult patients.
Methods
Cross-sectional study that included physicians, nurses, and nursing technicians from Hospitalization and Intensive Therapy Units of a university hospital in southern Brazil. A total of 102 professionals participated and answered an adapted and previously tested survey for this research. Exploratory variables were: sociodemographic data; academic and professional guidance on dysphagia; knowledge about dysphagia; phases of swallowing; signs, symptoms, and comorbidities associated with dysphagia; management, prescription, and administration of medications in the dysphagic patient.
Results
93.5% of the physicians, 100% of the nurses, and 97.8% of the nursing technicians know what dysphagia is. Most recognize the speech therapist as being responsible for swallowing rehabilitation; however they do not identify the signs and symptoms of dysphagia; choking during swallow was the most recognized symptom. For prescription drugs, 58% of the physicians do not consider alternative routes (enteral or intravenous) for administration, and 22.5% advise the nursing staff on how to manage patients with dysphagia. Most nurses and nursing technicians, 50,0% and 68,9% respectively, crush the medicine and mix it with water; and 65,4% and 46,7%, respectively, feel unprepared to administer medications in patients with dysphagia.
Conclusion
The knowledge of healthcare teams is still incipient when it comes to the care of the hospitalized adult dysphagic patients and the use of oral medications. Knowledge sharing, investment in permanent education, and qualification during the education of these professionals is fundamental to improve the integral care to the patient.
Deglutition Disorders; Medication Errors; Patient Safety; Deglutition; Oral Administration of Medications