Dysphagia screening among stroke patients in a tertiary hospital: a best practice implementation project

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives: The study aimed to promote nurses’ compliance with best practices for dysphagia screening in patients with stroke. Introduction: Dysphagia can significantly increase the risk of complications, especially aspiration pneumonia, leading to increased risk of disability, death, and high medical expenses. Dysphagia screening can reduce aspiration risk and is recommended as a crucial step in dysphagia management; however, not all patients with stroke undergo dysphagia screening in the neurology ward. Methods: The JBI Evidence Implementation Framework was used in this study. A baseline audit was conducted by interviewing 22 nurses and reviewing 48 medical records to evaluate current practice against best practice recommendations. The JBI Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) tool was used to identify barriers and strategies for practice change. A follow-up audit of 19 nurses and 48 medical records was conducted after implementation of improvement strategies. Results: The follow-up audit results showed improvement in three criteria compared with the baseline audit: for Criterion 1, compliance increased by 27.3%, rising from 72.7% to 100%; for Criteria 3 and 4, compliance increased by 77.1%, rising from 20.8% to 97.9%. The difference in nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and behavior scores for dysphagia screening between the baseline and follow-up audits was statistically significant (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: The project showed improvements in evidence-based practice in the dysphagia screening of stroke patients in a neurology ward. However, more work needs to be done to ensure the sustainability of best practices, such as regular training for nurses, supervision from managers, and regular audits of dysphagia screening.