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Course Description



NEW! Get the best of both worlds by taking your VitalStim Renewal course via Livestream. You'll enjoy the benefit of having an instructor-led course where you can interact and ask questions - while sitting in the comfort of your home or office!

No dates in the drop down above? You can still Renew Online or Live.

This course is designed to renew competency for VitalStim Therapy Providers. Participants will receive up-to-date key concepts in research, safety and protocols during the course. Participants who successfully complete this course will be equipped with the required knowledge and skills to maximize the impact of the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (VitalStim) in the treatment of dysphagia. This renewal course will review topics such as muscle physiology, kinesiology of the swallowing mechanism and pathological swallowing mechanisms and processes. The basic principles and concepts of neuromuscular electrical stimulation as used in VitalStim Therapy will be reviewed, as will the VitalStim Therapy protocol.

NOTE: VitalStim Therapy Renewal course participants must be VitalStim Providers. Completion of this renewal course will also award VitalStim Providers with the VitalStim Therapy Specialty Certificate. The Specialty Certificate will be mailed to your home address. Please be sure to update your contact information, mailing address and facility information

Disclosure: This course will only cover information that pertains to the effective and safe use of VitalStim.

Vitalstim Recertification vital stim
AOTA Classification Codes
Domain of OT: Performance Skills
OT Process: Intervention

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Accurately name the anatomical structures (muscular, articular, neurological) relevant to the swallowing function
  • Correctly and accurately palpate the structures mentioned under objective 1 that are accessible to palpation
  • Briefly describe the various phases of the normal swallowing movement
  • List the main pathological conditions affecting swallow function in the adult population (etiology, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, severity of impact on swallowing, prognosis, social and economic impact)
  • Describe considerations in the use of VitalStim Therapy in the pediatric population
  • Describe the characteristics of electrical stimulation and the influence of electricity on muscle tissue (physiological versus evoked contraction, frequency of current, intensity, phase duration, treatment time, strength and endurance building, etc.)
  • Identify the pathological conditions for which electrical stimulation is indicated
  • Describe the characteristics of the VitalStim Therapy stimulation unit
  • Discuss the VitalStim protocol in the treatment of dysphagia (operation of the electrical stimulation unit, skin preparation, application of the electrodes, increasing intensity)
  • Discuss the use of swallowing exercise during and after the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation
  • Briefly describe the principles of evidence based medicine and their application to the use of NMES in the treatment of dysphagia
  • Discuss ethical considerations around the use of NMES in the treatment of dysphagia
  • Discuss and demonstrate correct use of documentation and assessment tools (evaluation form, FOIS, outcome tracking sheet)

Lesley Mateer

M.A. CCC-SLP

Lesley Mateer, M.A. CCC-SLP is the president of Career Improvement & Advancement Opportunities, Inc (CIAO). Since 1999, she has dedicated her company to taking care of fellow therapists and providing quality, affordable continuing education across the United States. As a Speech Language Pathologist and Rehab Director, Lesley trained healthcare professionals and students on various topics such as Customer Service, Medicare Guidelines, Corporate Orientation, Ethics, Rehabilitation, Motivation and Leadership.
Financial Disclosure: Lesley is the president if CIAO Seminars, the owner of the VitalStim and Beyond, DINES Specialty Program and VitalStim Renewal course.
Non-Financial Disclosure: No relevant relationships.

Yorick Wijting

PT, DPT

Yorick received his Physical Therapy degree in the Netherlands and his DPT at the University of St. Augustine, Florida. He has extensive training and practical experience in biophysical agents and teaches nationally and internationally to medical professionals on their therapeutic use. Yorick has been instrumental in developing the use of electrical stimulation by Speech Language Pathologists in the treatment of dysphagia. Yorick currently lives in California and runs his private practice in Gilroy, CA.

Financial Disclosure: Yorick receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of his live course(s) and royalties for the sale of his recorded course(s). Yorick is the author and an instructor for the VitalStim Therapy Specialty Program.
Non-Financial Disclosure: no relevant relationships exist

Day 1

09:00 - 10:30
Foundations
10:30 - 10:45
Break
10:45 - 11:15
Foundations continued
11:15 - 12:00
Electrotherapy
12:00 - 12:30
Lunch Break
12:30 - 01:15
Electrotherapy continued
01:15 - 02:30
VitalStim Application
02:30 - 02:45
Break
02:45 - 04:00
Other Considerations
04:00 - 05:00
Pediatrics
05:00 - 05:30
Q&A

Delivery VIA:

  • Live Stream - This course is offered from our Live Stream studio. Watch and interact with the instructor from wherever you are or join us as part of the studio audience in sunny Gulf Breeze, FL. Included with each Live Stream registration is access to the course recording for the 14 days immediately following the broadcast.

Contact hours pre-approved for:

  • 0.75 CEUs (7.5 Contact Hours) SLPs, OTs
  • CIAO is an ASHA Approved Provider #AAWA (SLPs) bubblesheet submission required
  • This course is offered for 0.75 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area) ASHA Bubble Sheet Required
  • CIAO is an AOTA Approved Provider #4119 (OT/COTAs)
  • This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (7.5 PDUs)
  • CAOT - Advanced Practice - 2.5 hrs in PAMS #25-P10; 5.0 hrs in Swallowing #25-S20

The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.


This course is offered for 0.75 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level, Professional area) ASHA Bubble Sheet Required


CIAO is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). CIAO complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, CIAO is accredited to issue the IACET CEU.


CIAO is recognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)


Reviews

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