Enteral Feeding: The No Fear Approach to Tube Feeding (Adult Focus)

This interactive course will take the fear out of helping adult patients with severe dysphagia who require tube feeding. Participants will leave this course with a strong foundation, and a better understanding, of the many patient and family considerations involved with tube feeding. The instructor will use lecture, videos, pictures and case studies. This course will provide information to support patients and families who may feel overwhelmed facing or living with a feeding tube such as SLPs, OTs, Dysphagia Specialists and Nurses. Family members are also welcomed to attend. Course material will include topics such as history, tube basics, feeding methods, tips and techniques, common complications, equipment care, medical considerations, the heart and mind connection during mealtimes, the role of water, the gut and brain connection, diets, traveling with a tube, the role of the dysphagia therapist and treatment considerations. The psychology of tube feeding, impact on the family, and mealtime dynamics will also be discussed. Participants will leave with a new confidence in helping patients, families and team members through the world of tube feeding.

Course Objectives

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

Describe/discuss the types of feeding tubes available on the market and their purpose.
Identify various feeding methods utilized with tubes.
Discuss tube and site care, equipment care and medical complications that can arise or that may be related to tube feeds.
Discuss the psychology of tube feeds and the impact this plays on the family and mealtime dynamics.
Discuss various formulas available for tube feeding.
Discuss various possibilities on ways to decrease tube feeds while increasing oral feeds.
Define the role of the gut in relationship to successful oral feeding/comfort.
Identify the differences in role of treating different patient populations including end of life treatment decisions.

Course Instructor(s)

Jodie Dacy

M.S. CCC-SLP, NDC

Jodie graduated from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL with a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders. She has been a practicing speech language pathologist since 1995 with extensive experience in the private sector, school settings and clinical experience in hospital settings which include long term care and outpatient rehab. Jodie became a VitalStim® Provider in 2005. Since then she has utilized this modality in the treatment of dysphagia with both her pediatric and adult patients. Jodie is also a licensed NOMAS® practitioner and certified in NDC (NMES for Dysphagia), MDTP (McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program) and Myofascial Release. She has presented locally and nationally on various topics such as Best Practices, The Benefits of Oral Motor/Feeding Therapy on Articulation/Speech Clarity amongst others. Currently, Jodie serves the Speech Language Pathology profession as a therapist at Val Verde Regional Hospital in TX and as a certified instructor of the VitalStim® Therapy and DINES Specialty Certificate Program for CIAO Seminars.

Financial Disclosure: Jodie receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: Jodie uses VitalStim Therapy in her practice.

Course Agenda

Day 1

08:00 - 10:00

History, tube basics. feed methods, tips and techniques, The Nissen, equipment care

10:00 - 10:15

Break

10:15 - 12:00

Heart and mind connection, water, the gut and health of the gut, first foods versus infant formulas, versus animal milks, blended diets, special diets

12:00 - 12:30

Lunch

12:30 - 02:30

Treatment considerations, education to family, establish mealtime relationships, mouth/gut connection and comfort, medical history, swallowing safety,

02:30 - 02:45

Break

02:45 - 03:30

Treatment considerations with adults, treating and end of life considerations, legalities to consider with tube placement, educational handouts

03:30 - 04:00

Q&A

Contact hours pre-approved for:

7 Hours
CIAO is an ASHA Approved Provider #AAWA (0.7 ASHA CEUs) bubble sheet submission required
CIAO is an AOTA Approved Provider (0.7 AOTA CEUs)
This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (7 PDUs)
8 Hrs. OT/COTAs in FL (CE Broker(#20-780540)

Introductory Level, 0.7 ASHA CEUs

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

CIAO Automatically reports to CE Broker for Florida Occupational and Physical Therapists and Assistants. Florida SLPs can either use the ASHA CE Participant Form (Bubble Sheet) or self-submit through CE Broker.

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